Rich culture, delicious food and stories from Afghanistan

09/11/2014

April 13, 2006 we had just arrived at my cousin Ghani's house for a feast

By Humaira

During my 2006 trip to Afghanistan, firt time back since I arrived in the U.S. in 1980, there were many parties in my honor. In Kabul, when guests arrive they are served tea with some sweets, nuts and perhaps cookies. Dinner is served as one course: salad and at least 4-5 dishes and sometimes more. Guests pile everything on their plate and eat heartily, with the host forcefully adding a few extra servings of everything. Afghan hospitality is legendary and food is an integral part of this hospitality. Typical drinks with the meal are soft drinks, Dough (a yogurt drink) or water.

The meal is usually followed by plenty of black cardamom tea, some sweets such as Noqul e Nakhodi (sugar covered chickpeas) or Noqol e Badami (sugar covered almonds) and hard candy. At formal parties the dessert may consist of Firnee, Gosh e Feel (elephant ear, a pastry), or Sheer Birinj (rice pudding). If that’s not enough, then a large platter of seasonal fruit follows.

I entertain differently from Jeja (my mom) who still follows the Afghan style of entertaining. For my dinner party, I created a menu to accommodate several courses and integrated wine, a big part of California entertaining.

We have recipes for most of these dishes on our blog, and the rest will get posted soon. Perhaps you can have a modern Afghan party, too.

09/04/2014

I am a cereal girl when it comes to breakfast food. Eggs are my lunch or dinner go to food for a quick delicious meal. In Afghanistan people have boiled eggs or sunny side up for breakfast, but this is rare since eggs are expensive. Most people in the villages keep a couple of chickens around for their coveted eggs.

When I was a little girl we lived in a modern two-story house in Kabul with a big yard. My father, a diplomat, loved gardening, growing his own fruit and keeping chickens so we had a chicken coupe in the corner of the yard with around 10 chickens and a rooster. In the mornings I loved to retrieve the freshly laid eggs for breakfast.

This recipe is an amalgamation of various styles of egg recipes I have seen over the years. The sautéing of the tomatoes until caramelized I learned from my daughter’s Turkish babysitter. Adding cumin for extra flavor came from my aunt and the hollowed hard-crusted bread I took from a scene in the movie Moonstruck when Olympia Dukakis cooks eggs for Cher.

In this recipe I use tomatoes, but since tomato season is over you may substitute canned or homemade tomato sauce. The eggs are even more flavorful and richer in flavor with tomato sauce.

Ready to eat!

Afghan Inspired Open-Face Sandwich

Tomatoes, Cumin and Paprika Flavored Eggs

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tomato diced or 1/4-cup tomato sauce

A pinch of cumin and paprika

2 one inch thick slices of hard crusted Italian bread

2 eggs

Heat oil in a frying pan on high heat. Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and stir for around 2 minutes until caramelized. If using tomato sauce you can cook the sauce for a couple of minutes to brings out its flavors. Add the cumin and paprika to the tomatoes and stir until mixed well. Move the caramelized tomatoes to the edge of the pan. Remove the inside of the bread; place the hollowed bread in the pan. Gently place each egg inside the bread crust.

Reduce temperature to medium, place a lid on the pan and cook for around 5-7 minutes until the whites of the eggs are fully cooked through. It is important to keep the temperature low so the bottom of the bread doesn’t burn.

Gently remove the open-faced sandwiches, place on a plate, put a dollop of tomatoes sauce on top of the eggs and place the rest around the eggs. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and enjoy with a glass of your favorite drink.

08/28/2014

Katie Sullivan Morford, the co-founder of this blog released her first book, Best Lunch Box Ever, published by Chronicle Books. Besides being an excellent writer, Katie is a certified nutritionist. Her book is packed with healthy, easy and delicious lunch box ideas. Best Lunch Box Ever is beautifully designed with gorgeous photos and easy to follow layout. It is so easy that I gave a copy to my 13-year old daughter who is the chief lunch maker at our house.

One of my favorite recipes is the Perfect Date on page 60. It has six simple ingredients: whole-wheat lavash, whipped cream, dates, celery and baby spinach. As Katie suggests, most of her recipes are sophisticated enough for an adult’s lunch box too.

The Perfect Date, recipe on page 60

Three years ago Katie followed her bliss and went back to writing about how to nurture healthy eating in children. Although I miss working with her on Afghan Culture Unveiled, I am very proud of her accomplishments. She has a very popular food blog, she was tapped to write this book more interestingly, she develops recipes and cooking videos on back-to-school meals for Pottery Barn Kids. I am thrilled to share this conversation with Katie Sullivan Morford followed by a recipe she chose from her new book.

Humaira: Tell us what you have been doing since you stopped blogging with Afghan Culture Unveiled?

Katie: I started a blog called Mom's Kitchen Handbook, which brings together my interest in food with my expertise as a registered dietitian and my experience as a mother of three. I write about food and family with the goal of inspiring parents with easy recipes and practical advice on feeding their kids.

Humaira: Afghan Culture Unveiled is read by people in India, Latin America, Europe and of course the US. What are three top things parents around the world can do to give their children the most nutritious meals?

Katie:

1. Number one is to eat together as a family as much as possible. Kids who eat with their families tend to eat healthier and overall be happier and more successful in school than kids who don't.

2. Eat whole foods with less reliance on packaged goods. Beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurt, eggs, and so on, should be the foundation of our diets, not what's inside of a box with 30 ingredients.

3. Teach your children to cook. It will increase their interest in eating good food and give them the tools to nourish themselves once they're grown. I imagine that families in many parts of the world do a much better job of these three things than we do here in the States.

Humaira: Were any of your recipes in Best Lunch Box Ever influenced by your experience with Afghan food?

Katie: There is a lot of yogurt in the book, which is something I really got hooked on when I was focused on Afghan cooking. I also use flatbread in a number of recipes such as pita and lavash, which is very much a part of Afghan cuisine.

Humaira: Do you still make Afghan food? If yes, what are your family's favorite dishes?

Katie: I really crave Afghan food and I do continue to cook it at home. My favorite remains Chicken Lawang but I probably cook Sabzi more than anything else. I love to make a big batch of that and have it for lunches with, of course, yogurt and flat bread.

TERIYAKI Fried Rice

from

Best Lunch Box Ever Book

WARM AND NOURISHING, this panfried rice is a brown-bag favorite. The dish starts with a couple of scrambled eggs to which rice, edamame, and seasonings are added. If you happen to be making eggs for breakfast, it’s just a few extra steps to make this savory lunch dish. Naturally, brown rice is more nutritious than white. Leftover farro or barley make tasty substitutions.

MAKES 2 TO 3 SERVINGS

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups leftover cooked rice

1/2 cup cooked shelled edamame

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

In a medium skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the eggs and scramble until just cooked. Add the green onions, cooked rice, edamame, and teriyaki sauce, and cook, stirring often, until everything is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Divide the fried rice between two or three thermoses.

MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. In the morning before school, warm up and pack into the thermoses.

08/14/2014

As a fifth grader in Kabul I had an allowance of one Afghani per day to buy a snack. Contrary to popular misconception, the Afghani doesn’t refer to a person, but to Afghanistan’s currency, and was worth about 10 cents at the time.

All my friends would use their allowance to buy special treats from the school canteen, but I would stop at the vegetable store on the way to school to purchase the largest cucumber I could afford. With school in session from March through November, the crunchy cucumbers with the small seeds had a cooling effect on me through the hot summer months -- I so looked forward to recess. In retrospect I must have been a strange child to pick a cucumber over candy, but I won’t go into self analysis in this posting.

Persian cucumbers remind me of the wonderful cucumber I used to covet as a child. They are thin, small and reliably crunchy. Peeled and cut into slivers they can be a great snack, a fun addition to a veggie platter and a healthy addition to the kids’ lunch bags. My kids love them.

Previously I could only find Persian cucumbers at Afghan or Persian grocery stores, but now Trader Joe’s and larger grocery stores carry them. Here is a recipe for an Afghan appetizer I created and brought to a friend’s party. There are few appetizers in the Afghan cuisine, so I served this recipe with pita chips.

Yogurt, Cucumber and Mint Dip

1 cup of plain yogurt (any type will work)

2 Persian cucumbers roughly chopped which makes around ½ cup

½ tsp salt

½ tsp dried mind or 2 tsp fresh mint

Pinch of dry ground garlic or tsp finely chopped garlic

Recipe can be doubled.

In a bowl mix all ingredients and stir thoroughly. You may adjust the salt and garlic to your taste. Serve with pita chips, sambosas, Bolani, or kebabs. I also love to serve it as a salad or side dish.

07/30/2014

Your comments are welcome!

By Humaira

It's not every day when lamb meets cherries in a pot. In the case of today's recipe, Qorma e Aloo Baloo, the end result is a symphony of sweet and sour delight for your taste buds.

After 33 years of living in the United States, I still remember cherry season in Afghansitan, when my mom’s cousin would deliver boxes of cherries to our home. Jeja, my mom, would get busy making jams and cherry juice before the lot went bad.

My younger brother and I would secretly stuff our faces with fresh cherries before we were found out and banished from the kitchen.

My creations are not always welcomed by my children. They live in fear of the next recipe, and the “strange” dish that will be presented at dinner. I was convinced that the rich taste of slow cooked lamb and the sweet cherry sauce would not be popular. But, to my surprise, I got two thumbs up.

Generally I find sweet and sour dishes overwhelming. so I served this with a side of braised cauliflower, Gulpea and Afghan white rice, Challaw which was just the right combination of sweet and savory. This dish will also go well with a side of fresh salad or yogurt.

My sister Nabila made this dish with beef over the holidays. Of course I tweaked what created and discovered the lamb works well too. I hope you like this dish and I welcome your thoughts in the comment section of this post.

Note: If you are not near a Trader Joe’s, you may use two cups of any type of canned or frozen sour cherries. If you are not a fan of lamb, just substitute beef stew meat. It is equally delicious.

Add olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot with lid, place on medium high heat. Add diced onions to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes or, until the onions are translucent. Save 1/2 cup of cherry syrup from the jar and drain the cherries in a colander.

Wash meat thoroughly; pat dry with a paper towel before adding to the pot. Sprinkle the coriander on the meat, stir well and cook on medium high for five minutes or until the meat is browned. Add the cherry juice, turn the heat down to low, cover with the lid and simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring every ten minutes.

Just added cherries and cilantro to the pot

Once the sauce thickens add the cherries, cilantro, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes without lid.

07/23/2014

Cherry season always makes me think of Afghanistan where the cherries are unbeatable. Today my daugther Sofia and I had a great time with my new cherry pitter. I couldn't believe how easy it was to make this recipe with this handy gadget. I was a minimalist with my kitchen but just in the past month along with the cherry pitter, I also purchased a rice maker and a bread maker from Good Will. They were so cheap, I had to have them. I can't explain my kitchen gadgets buying craze, perhaps it is countering my effort to edit my wardrobe.

This recipe is kind of an unusual one, and includes my three favorite ingredients: yogurt, cherries and garlic. I know many people may cringe at the thought of mixing garlic with cherries and yogurt, but it's really delicious. Since cherry season is upon us I thought I would share this recipe.

I like to serve Garlicky Yogurt with Cherries as an appetizer or a side dish with chicken and lamb kebabs. I make it with dried garlic which lends a subtle flavor; it is less biting than raw garlic. This also makes a satisfying snack that is a nice alternative to parfaits or sugary yogurts. Using full-fat yogurt is richer and tastier, but I usually make it with non-fat for health reasons. Enjoy.

Garlicky Yogurt and Cherries

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1 pinch dried ground garlic

1/4 tsp. salt ( more if you like the sweet & salty flavors)

1 cup whole raw cherries, pitted and halved

1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint (optional)

Mix the yogurt, garlic, and salt in a bowl and stir until the yogurt is creamy. Add the cherries and mix until the cherries are coated with yogurt and distributed evenly around the bowl. The sauce will turn pink. Scatter the mint over the top.

07/11/2014

As a little girl in Kabul, I loved playing football (soccer), biking, and jumping off our home's ten foot high wall into a pile of snow. The two countries where I spent most of my childhood, India and Afghanistan, boys had freedoms that girls could only dream about. Perhaps that is why I decided to take on a boyish persona. Without any labels or criticism, my Afghan parents accepted my eccentracities and accomodated my request for short hair and boyish clothes.

Baba and I, 1977 Kabul, Afghanistan

Now, my eldest daugther has the same tendencies. Perhaps the tomboy gene was passed on to her. While fellow moms in San Francisco congratulate me on how I handle this "situation", I delight in her obsession with building a skate board as opposed to shopping for makeup.

It was last year when I first learned about the popularity of a practice called "bacha posh", dresses like a boy. Thedirector of Love In Afghanistan, asked me for cultural advice on the unique play she was directing for the Arena Theatre. The play is a love story, if you didn't already guess it, between an African American rap artist and an Afghan girl who is a bacha posh.

Prior to this call, I was familiar with the term but I thought it was something that came about during the time of Taliban, when women were imprisoned in their homes and needed a man to represent them in the outside world.

It turns out that Dan Rather's popular documentry, "A Family Secret", brought families dressing their daugthers in boys' clothes is a widely practiced, ancient custom in Afghanistan. My family and I are not convinced that the practic of bacha posh is "widely" practiced, as the documentry claims.

However, it's a subject that has caught the imagination of the Western Media. Since 2010, there has been shows, articles, interviews and now a book by Nadia Hashimi, THE PEARL THAT BROKE'S IT'S SHELL.

I am thrilled to see an Afghan write about this subject. Nadia's book delves into the world of Rahima, who becomes Rahim while guided by stories of her great aunt Shekiba, who was also a bacha posh.

The book helps the reader get into the story immediately. Within the first couple of chapters, the reader experiences the family's struggle and the mother's desperation, which forces her into the decision of turning her daugther into a boy.

Rahima, relucatant about the transformation to Rahim, quickly embraces his new life as he delves into freedoms betowed on boys. He covets the higher status in his family and exemption from girl chores. He is the one who rights the wrong of the mother with a cursed womb which can only carry girls.

Rahim eventually has to face going back to being a girl, once he reaches puberty. He has to give up his freedom to freely go outside, save his sister's honor and help his desperate mother, when the propect of marriage to settle a family debt enters his reality.

I hope this introduction whets your appetite, and inspires you to pick up this book for your summer reading. When my family left Kabul in 1979, I left my boyish persona behind and re-invented myself as a girl, when we reached the United States. Unfortunately not all women have the luxury to freely cross the gender divide as I did at age thirteen.

Nadia Hashimi was born and raised in New York and New Jersey. Both her parents were born in Afghanistan and left in the early 1970s, before the Soviet invasion. Her mother, granddaughter of a notable Afghan poet, went to Europe to obtain a Master’s degree in civil engineering and her father came to the United States, where he worked hard to fulfill his American dream and build a new, brighter life for his immediate and extended family. Nadia was fortunate to be surrounded by a large family of aunts, uncles and cousins, keeping the Afghan culture an important part of their daily lives. She and her husband are the beaming parents of two curious, rock star children and an African Grey parrot.

Humaira Ghilzai of Afghan Culture Unveiled speaks to Nadia Hashimi about her book, lessons learned and Nadia's challenges as a vegetarian Afghan.

Humaira: How did you get interested in the practice of bacha posh?

Nadia: A few years back I read an article by Jenny Nordberg in the New York Times about the bacha posh practice. I had heard of the practice but I started to think about what the tradition meant for girls of Afghanistan. Most girls in Afghanistan do not experience life as a bacha posh but it is done. What message does this send to the youth of the country? How does a young woman cope with experiencing life as a boy and then again as a girl girl in a society with such a gender divide? I came to appreciate that the bacha posh practice could be a compelling means of taking a closer look at the gender gap and its implications for Afghanistan's daughters.

Humaira: What did you learn about yourself while researching and writing your book?

Nadia: Great question! The biggest realization for me was that I am more outraged, than I thought, with the injustices suffered by women and girls in today's world. I've always believed that women need to stand up for our rights because injustice reaches every corner of the planet. even a progressive country like the United States.

The process of writing this story, however, channeled my energy. I want others to be as outraged as I am at gender inequality in any form. Sometimes it's subtle, like a salesperson sidestepping a woman to address her husband, the assumed "decision maker" in the family. Sometimes it's blatant and brutal, like rapes dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders because "boys will be boys." I've realized also that I need to be very conscious of how I raise my daughter and what I teach her. Though she is only three years old, I encourage her to stand up for herself around other children (including her four year old brother!) and that sometimes she will need to raise her voice. It is equally important to me that I raise my son to respect a girl's personal space and opinion. As parents, it's our responsibility to model this behavior in the home and deliver clear messages to our children if we want to see a change in the world around us.

Humaira: I believe you've been there once with your parents. Is that right? What were your impressions of Afghanistan the first time you visited?

Nadia: My trip to Afghanistan in 2002 was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I was so happy to meet cousins, uncles and aunts and to walk through the neighborhoods I'd gotten to know through my parents' stories. I was thrilled to see school children lining up excitedly in the school yard at the start of the day and meet Afghan physicians staffing a new hospital for patients with tuberculosis.

On the other hand, it was disheartening to see an overflowing maternity hospital with laboring women in hallways, courtyards and unsanitary beds. My mother's family home had been reduced to rubble, recognizable only by a curved railing that once led to their backyard.

Hope and despair coexisted on the same street, in the same home. The country has suffered greatly with decades of violence and instability. On the other hand, Afghan youth were particularly anxious to get an education and nearly every young person I spoke with had admirable, professional aspirations. My hope and belief is that optimism will trump despair and that the nation will recover.

Humaira: What are your favorite Afghan dishes?

Nadia: I am, as my husband says, a rare Afghan in that I am a vegetarian (though in the last couple of years I've started eating fish as well). For those familiar with Afghan food,meat is a huge part of our cuisine but there are plenty of yummy vegetable dishes as well. Just this past weekend, my sister-in-law cooked vegetarian mantoo (dumplings) as a special treat. Both my sister-in-laws are intuitive and creative cooks and I'm lucky that I get to enjoy their talents! For my favorite rice dish, I would have to go with mosh-palow, rice with mong beans, It's so hearty on a winter day!

Humaira: Do you enjoy cooking? Do you cook Afghan food?

Nadia: I don't cook every day so when I do cook, I really enjoy it. I make Afghan food regularly but I also find it fun to try new dishes and ingredients outside my comfort zone. With warmer weather here, I get to do some of my most enjoyable kind of cooking - grilling! Our household loves grilled eggplant and it's wonderfully easy (as long as you don't get distracted). I also like to do chicken kebabs. I marinate them in yogurt and spices for a few hours and they seem to be a favorite with the family. In the winter, I bring out the slow cooker for dishes like vegetable stew or soups that warm the belly with lots of flavor.

Of course, there's nothing like making good old fashioned cupcakes with the kids. They love helping me measure and mix the ingredients, a good introduction to practical skills. I try to stick with dishes that are fairly uncomplicated because I want to enjoy my time in the kitchen. Food is so important to our health. It plays a major role in our social lives and it's a daily necessity. The more ways we find to enjoy it, the better!

07/08/2014

Here in San Francisco we spend the better part of July and August in a blanket of fog, sweaters and close-toed shoes firmly in place, waiting for “our” summer to arrive. This usually happens come September, just as the rest of the country is pulling out their woolens. When temperatures moved north of 90 degrees here last week, there was only one thing to do: eat ice cream.

Humaira and I told the kids we’d be getting together after school one day to make sundaes. They were over the moon. But their visions of hot fudge and whipped cream came to a screeching halt when they learned we’d be making Afghan sundaes (falooda), with nary a maraschino cherry in sight.

I could relate. When I first heard about falooda, I was similarly perplexed. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the dessert’s combination of crushed ice, noodles and ice cream. How could it be edible, much less tasty? But a few spoonfuls into my first falooda at Salang restaurant in Little Kabul and I was sold.

Falooda is a South Asian specialty served during the warm months in Pakistan, India and Iran, and among others. Each country lends its own twist on the dessert. In Afghanistan, this means shaved ice is topped with rosewater- or cardamom-flavored handmade ice cream , rose water-flavored simple syrup, vermicelli noodles, plenty of Afghan cream (called qaymaq), and a generous measure of chopped pistachios. Afghan ice cream is very rich, almost dense, and made in a unique way, which Humaira wrote about a while back. You can read about it here.

As for our afterschool sundae fest, the kids seemed genuinely surprised by how good the falooda was. That’s not to say they’d opt for an Afghan sundae over a banana split. But the bowls were licked clean and nobody asked for the chocolate syrup.

Afghan Sundae

Falooda

2 ounces thin rice vermicelli or glass noodles

¼ cup simple syrup*

1 ¼ tsp. rosewater

3 cups ice

1 quart premium vanilla ice cream

¼ cup unsalted, chopped, toasted pistachios

Cook the noodles according to package directions and cool to room temperature. You can do this by running cold water over the noodles.

In a small bowl, mix together the simple syrup and rosewater.

Put the ice into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until the ice is finely chopped.

Set out four serving bowls. Put ½ cup chopped ice into each bowl. Set 1/3 cup cooked noodles over the ice in each bowl. Top the noodles with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the simple syrup over each bowl of ice cream. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of nuts over each sundae. Serve immediately.

*To make your own simple syrup combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a bowl, stirring regularly, and boil for 5 minutes. Set the syrup in the refrigerator to cool. Refrigerate the leftover syrup in a jar with a fitted lid. It will keep for a month and is useful as a sweetener for cold beverages such as iced tea and lemonade.

07/01/2014

Saveur Magazine Article

By Monica Bhide

When I was a child in Delhi, India, cardamom was as familiar as the air I breathed. Its sweet, woodsy perfume regularly filled the house when my parents were cooking. But it took me a while to appreciate the spice's flavor. "Too strong for me," I would say as I picked the pale green cardamom pods out of any rice dish or curry that was placed before me. It wasn't until I got a bit older and started drinking masala chai, India's ubiquitous brew of tea, milk, and spice, that I began to come around. Each Indian home has its own version, its own mix of flavoring spices. My father's chai was spiced only with cardamom, and plenty of it. He'd use a mortar and pestle to crush the pods and release their flavor before steeping them with the strong black tea. Perhaps it was the richness of the milk that made the difference: it seemed to both soften and deepen the flavor of the spice. All at once I was able to discern the cardamom's penetrating warmth and the way its complex flavor of pine, sweet musk, and bright citrus was awakened by the bitterness of the tea.

After my family moved from India to Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf, I discovered gahwa, the fragrant Arabic cardamom coffee, and loved nothing better than sipping it along with a square of cardamom-spiced baklava. It was Arab traders who first carried cardamom from India to Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and today the Arab countries still consume more of it than any other place on earth.

It's still a precious commodity, too—nearly as costly as saffron and vanilla because, like them, it must be harvested by hand—and when I was a teenager, in our house as well as at our neighbors', serving cardamom to guests was understood as a gesture of respect. Often, that would mean producing an extravagantly spiced biryani made with nutty-tasting basmati rice, quite possibly the best vehicle for cardamom ever discovered. Sometimes, after a big meal, we'd follow my grandmother's custom and pass around cardamom pods to chew. In the ayurvedic system, cardamom is as much medicine as it is food; the same aromatic compounds that give the spice its flavor and warming properties also aid digestion.

As I began to spend more time in the kitchen, I learned that there is more than one type of cardamom and that each brings its own qualities to a dish. Green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), the most highly prized kind, is a bushy herb of the ginger family native to southwest India. It's cultivated extensively there and in Guatemala, now the world's largest exporter; Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka are the other top producers. The plants grow in clusters of slender stalks about 10 feet tall with large, lance-shaped leaves. The spice pods, which grow on shoots at the plant's base, are picked when they are just ripening and then dried under the sun or in a kiln. These small, oval pods and the tiny black seeds within contain the various compounds we experience as sweet, floral, and eucalyptus-like. That unique balance works as well in savory dishes as it does in sweet ones.

Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum), a spice native to the Himalayas and cultivated today in Nepal, India, China, and Bhutan, has larger, deeply ridged pods that are dried over wood fires. As a result, the pods take on a dark brown color and a bold, smoky flavor that would overwhelm a sweet cake or pudding, but in a spice rub for roasted meat or in a full-flavored stew it imparts a smoldering depth no other spice can. Used together in a single dish, such as my family's chicken curry, green and black cardamom can harmonize beautifully. I've learned, too, about similarly fragrant relatives of cardamom, including delicate, floral Thai cardamom (see Expressions of Cardamom) and peppery West African grains of paradise.

Since I moved to the United States 19 years ago, cardamom has been both a link to home and a bridge to other cuisines. The Scandinavians, it turns out, are second only to the Arabs in their hunger for cardamom, which the Vikings discovered in Constantinople a thousand years ago. Nordic cooks grasped early on that the fat-soluble spice blooms when baked in butter-laden sweets and breads. It's the keynote in the luscious Swedish cream puffs known as semlor and in Finland's yeast-risen, braided pulla bread, among many other baked treats.

In the cooking classes I teach, I advise students to buy pods of green cardamom with a vibrant color and a strong fragrance; ones that are dull looking and shriveled will almost certainly have lost their flavor. The product labeled "white cardamom" is really just green cardamom that's been bleached for purely aesthetic reasons, and—to judge from the kinds I've tried—robbed of most of its taste and aroma. And since the flavor evaporates very quickly from the seeds once they're removed from the pod, and especially once they've been ground, it's best to buy the spice whole. If you want to cook with just the seeds—I like to fry them in oil to create a flavor base for all kinds of dishes—just use your fingers to pop open the pods and remove the seeds; keep the empty pods for steeping in coffee or tea. When I'm making desserts, I'll grind the seeds to a powder using a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder. As for black cardamom, it's almost always used whole and then discarded after cooking. I've never seen it for sale already ground.

I'm happy to say that my children have loved cardamom from the start. When I make the cardamom-spiced rice pudding called kheer, I tell them the story of how, once upon a time, I was a young engineering student who had just moved to the States. Everything was unfamiliar; nothing seemed to taste quite right. Finally, I borrowed ingredients from my neighbors and set about making my mother's kheer. When the milk, sugar, and rice began to simmer, I broke open a few pods of cardamom and dropped them into the pan; soon the kitchen began to radiate the spice's familiar scent. As I leaned over the stove to taste the kheer, the doorbell rang. Standing outside was a handsome young man who said he lived in the building next door. He was an MBA student from Mumbai; on his way to the library, he'd caught the scent of cardamom and, himself a little homesick, couldn't resist following it to its source. At this point my kids usually chime in. "That's when you met Daddy!" they cry, and my husband grins. Then we eat the kheer together, and the cardamom tastes just strong enough.

06/30/2014

In development for over a year, this is the Pashto companion to "Zarbul Masalha, 151 Afghan Dari Proverbs". The first book captures Dari proverbs and thanks to Captain Edward Zellem's social media skills, the book has reached thousands of people around the world. My copy is marked up on all pages with sticky notes and stars. I rely on it to weave color into my Afghanistan related writing.

Pashto, a language spoken by over 40% of Afghans, has its own historic tradition of proverbs. Mataluna, the word for proverb, features 151 of the best Pashto proverbs in use today. It includes English translation and transliteration for those of us who can't read the Arabic script. The book also features 50 new artworks by the students of Marefat High School in Kabul.

Last summer, Captain Edward Zellem initiated a "crowdsourcing for proverbs" project which was immensely successful. The proverbs in the book were contributed by native Pashto speakers from all over the world. I want to thank my honorary Afghan friend, Captain Edward Zellem, for improving our world through bridge building, friendship and love of language.

Support Afghan literacy and give the gift of Afghan Proverbs for Eid-e-Ramazin 2014. More information and links on where to buy the book can be found at www.afghansayings.com.

06/20/2014

I read this fictionalized short story of my family's accidental run in with pork and the trials of resettlement in a foreign land. Many people in my writer's workshop shared that they too had similar experiences. I realized that perhaps there are similar stories out there that we can all relate to in some level. This post is in honor of World Refugee Day 2014

Pork Eating Afghans - My Love Affair with SPAM

It’s our family’s first week as political refugees in Germany. Food stamps safely tucked in her purse, Jeja; my mother scans the shelves of the German supermarket with awe and confusion. We walk up and down the endless aisles, our mouths gaping; we have never seen so many varieties of chocolates, sodas and breads.

When the social worker hands Jeja the bundle of food stamps, my 11-year-old mathematical mind converts Deutschmarks into Afghanis. I am overjoyed at our wealth. But soon I realize we are not so rich after all.

In the unwisely chosen Ambassador Hotel in the red light district of Frankfurt, Afghan refugee are crammed in rooms too small for their families. Most of these Afghans come from well-to-do families with big homes, servants and walled in compounds where family secrets are kept safe from outsiders. In 1979 when the Russian tanks rolled into Kabul, the educated and wealthy Afghan’s were pushed right out of the country into foreign lands. Now, the Ambassador Hotel is a stew of frustration, discontent and lost hopes, wafting its foul smell through halls brightly lit with fluorescents.

Among the refugees, a thin, tall and self-important woman has appointed herself as advisor to all newcomers. We called her “Bossy Lady”. She gives advice on how to navigate the streets of Frankfurt, how to ride public transportation without paying and how to shop wisely to make food stamps last. But her advice is not free; in return for her help she extracts every family’s tragic story, which she stores in the vault of her mind. Perhaps our tragedies help her forget her son’s early death at the hands of Russian soldiers.

In Afghanistan we ate fresh food but living in a hotel room without a refrigerator or a stove Jeja has to be creative with meals. Which is how we learn about canned food. Bossy Lady gives us sample cans of garbanzo beans, kidney beans and a special meat called Spam, which she raves about; it is delicious, very cheap and it doesn’t go bad.

That night we have a feast. German rye bread, garbanzo bean, yogurt and sliced Spam. We love the salty and creamy texture of Spam and ask for seconds. Not knowing German or the ingredients of this magical meat Jeja wonders how on earth did they make this beef so tasty, so long lasting and so pink.

As we find our footing in our safe new world, we slowly lose fears of exploding bombs, entrapment or being shot by Russian soldiers on the side of the road. Since most of us are just passing through here on our way to our final destinations we live an amorphous life. Our days start and end without much structure except for breakfast. Everyday between 7-8 am all residents of the Ambassador Hotel meet for the only meal where we sit in a dining room with tables, clean starched white tablecloths and proper serving dishes. The servers offer tea, coffee or milk with soft warm rolls, eggs butter and jam. Since most of us left lives where we were served and treated with dignity, we cherish this one meal.

But on a random Tuesday, we again lose our footing. We emerge from the elevator around 7:30 am to find a major commotion in the breakfast hall. Women are wailing. Men look like they are mourning the death of their first-born son and children are looking down into their hands with shame. The Bossy Lady is in the center of the room eyes wide open with the whites showing, hands flailing as she shares the horrible events that brings us disgrace.

It turns out; a young Afghan man has befriended Germans and learned that Spam is not beef. Spam is short for Spiced Ham. This young man and his family sit in the corner of the room, far away from everyone, looking guilty as if the whole Spam incident is their fault. You see, eating pork is a major sin in Islam and right there we have 300 pork eating Muslims.

The Afghan mothers who are expected to be the protectors of piety are tormented every day when they leave the hotel with their children in tow and have to pass windows dressed by nude prostitutes selling their bodies. Now they have to face the extra sin piled upon their families, the consumption of pork.

Finally the Bossy Lady states what we already know. No one could be blamed for this; since everyone unknowingly participated in the Spam gluttony it is not a sin in the eyes of Allah. That settles it; her statement gives us all permission to accept our innocence. From that day on not a single can of Spam entered through the doors of the Ambassador Hotel but it was too late for me, I could not forget its delicious taste.

06/19/2014

Happy Ramazan to Muslims around the world who will be fasting to observe the Holy Month of Ramazan.

It occurred to me how fully indoctrinated I am into Afghan cookery when I went to look “eggplant” up in the index of a food reference the other day and flipped instinctively to the B’s. When I couldn’t find “banjan”, the Afghan word for eggplant, it hit me that I was in deep. My intention was to get back up for my belief that salting and draining eggplant before cooking is unnecessary. I’m always looking for shortcuts. The Los Angeles Times Food Editor Russ Parsons says not necessary unless you are planning to fry it. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame suggests salting only if the eggplant is overripe.

This points to the notion that there are always two ways to skin a cat, or in this case, an eggplant. Borani Banjan, this Afghan eggplant dish, is case in point. Most folks fry the eggplant before baking it. Some versions are very spicy, some are heavily sauced, others barely so. Humaira and I have been messing around with Borani Banjan for a while. This version is adapted from a recipe Humaira’s sister Zohra gave to us. It’s a keeper.

Zohra likes to use the long, slender Chinese variety of eggplant. She finds them more reliably good than other types. You can use any variety you like, just look for eggplants that are firm and use them right away, or store them someplace cool, not cold. According to Alice Waters, long storage at cold temperatures can lead to bitterness. And I believe everything Alice says.

This is a luscious, rustic dish using summer’s best ingredients. As the eggplant and tomato bake all the flavors and textures melt together. When it’s done, the whole thing is covered with garlic-spiked yogurt and served with flat bread for scooping up all the last bits of deliciousness. Next time I plan to turn the elegance factor up a notch by baking these in individual crocks and setting them out as single-serving side dishes. Enjoy.

Luscious Layered Afghan Eggplant

Borani Banjan

4 medium size Chinese eggplants (or 2 medium Italian eggplants)

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt , divided

3 medium tomatoes, cut in 1/3-inch thick slices

8 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. ground curry powder

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. ground black pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 ½ cup chicken broth

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

1 tsp. garlic salt

Set the oven to broil.

Slice off the ends of the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Cut each halve crosswise in 1/3-inch thick slices. Arrange the eggplant slices on two baking sheets, drizzle with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil and sprinkle with ½ tsp. of the salt. Set the baking sheets under the broiler and cook for a few minutes on each side until they brown lightly. Remove from oven and turn the heat down to 375 degrees.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan and sauté the garlic over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Don’t let it brown. Add the remaining 1 tsp. salt, turmeric, curry, paprika, pepper, and tomato paste. Stir this mixture together and cook for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the pan, stir, and turn the heat to high. When the liquid boils, turn it down and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Pour 1/3 of the liquid into a 9x12-inch baking dish (a little smaller is fine too) and spread it across the bottom. Arrange half the eggplant on top of the sauce. Sprinkle half the cilantro over the eggplant and then layer half the tomato slices evenly on the eggplant. Pour on another third of the sauce. Repeat the layering with the remaining eggplant, cilantro, and tomatoes. Finish the dish by drizzling the last of the sauce over the vegetables, making sure to coat all of the pieces.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 5 minutes

Mix together the Greek yogurt and garlic salt. Pour the yogurt sauce over the eggplant and serve with pita or nan bread.

My other project is a novel I’ve been working on for the past year with the working title, “Two Women and a Warlord”. Here's a blurb about the book.

A charismatic warlord facilitates a meeting of two women in a remote province of Afghanistan. Assia and Feroza’s unlikely encounter comes as each of their lives unravels.

The 33-year-old Assia is burdened by a successful career, motherhood, a doting American husband—while living in a lavish home in San Francisco. The price of the “American Dream” has meant abandoning her Afghan heritage, leaving a void in her fairy tale life.

Feroza is not so lucky; her life is riddled with bullets, Taliban and an overbearing mother-in-law. But neither birthing 9 children nor an oppressive society stops her passion to be a game changer. But, it all comes at great cost.

Feroza and Assia begin to fill the voids in each other’s lives. Together they set off to change the lives of Afghan girls in one of the most conservative and Taliban riddled provinces of Afghanistan. This novel takes the reader through weddings, births, humor in life’s setbacks and two women’s enduring friendship across distant lands.

Intrigued? I am.

Three years ago if someone had asked about writing a book, I would’ve thought they're CRAZY. I still don’t see myself as a writer - I am a storyteller with unique life experiences. The novel writing journey has been self-revealing, intriguing and inspirational. As my main characters Assia, Feroza, and the warlord Khan have developed into full-fledged beings, they have become constant companions on walks with my dog, in my kitchen and in my dreams.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My blog explores Afghan cuisine and culture. I unite traditional recipes with stories of my Afghanistan. The recipes are clearly written, tested and authentic - adapted with modern cooking techniques. The stories convey an older, deep-rooted culture. You might say I am filling an untapped niche.

My family fled Afghanistan after the Russian invasion in 1979. Now I’m an Afghan American. Over the last twelve years, I have reconnected with Afghanistan through my work to educate girls and women there. The Afghans, Americans, soldiers and aid workers I’ve met give life to my characters.

The book portrays the essence of Afghan women, not as victims but as powerful, beautiful, and at times flawed humans. I also share the untold story of the Afghan American immigrant, through Assia, who straddles two worlds. She struggles to connect with who she is, Afghan or American.

3) Why do I write what I do?

Afghanistan is still an enigma for Western minds. Even after more than a decade of being embroiled in Afghanistan, most Americans know little about this complex country or it’s people.

As an Afghan and storyteller, I feel compelled to share the beauty of Afghanistan’s culture and people. My blog allows me to promote Afghanistan’s fabulous cuisine with foodies around the world. But for years I've been drawn to tell bigger stories. I accosted my husband about my calling. Finally, in a car ride home after the 2013 New Year’s celebration, he turned to me and said, “Maybe this is the year to write your book.” That put a stake in the ground for me to either do something or stop talking about it.

An untrained writer, handicapped with constant self-deprecation and bad grammar, but armed with relentless grit, I finally sat down in March of 2013 and started writing my novel.

4) How does your writing process work?

My writing process is not organic, inspirational or euphoric. My first hour of writing is spent on social media, the NY Times website and various other distractions. Once I start feeling guilty about not meeting my timelines, I set the timer on my iPhone to 90 minutes; I grab hold of a pen and start writing. Sometimes I get nonsense and other times gems.

When the timer goes off, I stop writing, stretch my fingers and get a cup of cardamom tea. Then I type everything into my computer and edit as I go. This is the start of a lengthy edit process.

I feel lucky to have met my editor David Colin Carr early in the process of writing my novel. He encouraged me to write a detailed outline, I obeyed. That outline has been my guide through this journey. The book reads nothing like the original outline, but if I didn’t have that road map, I would’ve never made it past chapter two.

I have invited the following lovely women, who are fabulous writers, and spiritually transformed being. They will blog on June 16th.

Martha Conway’s first novel, 12 Bliss Street (St. Martin’s Minotaur), was nominated for an Edgar Award, and her short fiction has appeared in TheIowa Review, The Mississippi Review, The Quarterly, Folio, Puerto del Sol, Carolina Quarterly, and other publications. She graduated cum laude from Vassar College and received her master’s degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She is the recipient of a California Arts Council fellowship in Creative Writing, and has reviewed fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle, The San Francisco Review of Books, and TheIowa Review. She has taught fiction at Stanford University’s Online Writers’ Studio and UC Berkeley Extension. Born in Cleveland, she now lives in San Francisco with her family.

Kanchana Krishnan Ayyar has lived in 3 continents where she has dedicated many years to the cultural education of children, imparting the richness of Indian History, Music, Yoga, and Philosophy.

She discovered writing in 2008 and embarked on a historical fiction book, which was published in 2011. She is the author of three books. Her debut novel “When the Lotus Blooms,” a story of two child brides in colonial India, has received two Literary Awards in 2013. Subsequently, she released a mini-anthology of short stories, “Snapshots” based on her extensive travel experiences. “The Present: A gift from the Divine” represents her foray into the sublime world of inspirational non-fiction. Besides being blessed by H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, it has received a rare endorsement from H.H. the Dalai Lama

06/05/2014

With the end of school and the flurry of summer plans I have not been able to test new recipes. So, I decided to re-post one of the first recipes

This blog was inspired by my mom's cooking and the urgency to preserve her recipes before she expires. You see, in our family Jeja, my mom is a wonderful cook but she did pass her knowledge to her children. I have to admit, I didn't particulary show any interest in learning her Afghan cuisine recipe until I had my own children. This blog has opened a world of food, culture, and banter which has enriched my life.

I am thankful to all my wonderful readers who post comments, ask questions and share their experiences with Afghanistan or Afghan food. It is encouraging to know, that in a very small way I have touched people around the world in this intimate way, by sharing my culture.

With schools out and weekend BBQs on the calendar it seems an appropriate time to talk about some of my favorite grilled food: Afghan kebabs. While nothing could be more ordinary in American culture than the backyard barbecue, in Afghanistan grilling is more typically the domain of street vendors and restaurants. Walk through bazaars of Kabul or Kandahar and you will be greeted with the sizzling sounds and rich smells of beef, lamb and chicken seasoned with garlic, onions, peppers, and a host of spices, speared onto metal skewers. The street vendors (Kebabis as they are called) wrap warm nan bread around the meat and serve it with chutney, cilantro and chives. While it would be rare for an Afghan to own the kind of barbecue we are accustomed to, they are brilliant at rigging a makeshift grill set over hot coals for picnics or other outdoor outtings.

It's simple to translate this faraway and seemingly exotic treat for grilling at home. While Afghan restaurants sometimes achieve the signature golden hue to their chicken by adding food coloring, we've found a little dose of turmeric works just as well, and is tasty, too. Serve the kebabs with plenty of plain yogurt, nan, lavash or pita bread, and a chopped salad with equal parts cucumber, tomato, red onions and cilantro, with a squeeze of lemon and plenty of salt.

June of 2009, me with short hair and a tray of kebabs

Lemony Chicken Kebabs with Turmeric

2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered

4 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice mixed with 1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

wooden or metal skewers

Instructions:

Cut chicken into 2-inch chunks and put in a bowl.Puree remaining ingredients in a food processor.Pour marinade over the chicken and mix thoroughly.Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least three hours, preferably overnight.

If using wooden skewers, immerse them in water for at least 20 minutes before using.

Put 4 to 5 pieces of chicken on each skewer.Grill over a medium flame until done.If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the kebabs under a broiler for a few minutes per side or bake them in a 400 degree oven until cooked through.

05/29/2014

Since I've got a copy of the Turmeric, The Wonder Spice e-cookbook and learned about the health benefits of Turmeric - I've managed to add the spice to evey dish I've made. This is the last of three recipes authors - Helen Saberi and Colleen Taylor Sen have kindly shared with us from their book.

Bobotie is a South African curry-type baked dish that contains finely minced meat and a blend of sweet and sour ingredients. It is topped with an egg-and-milk sauce. It has been popular in South Africa for centuries, and was declared their national dish by the United Nations Women’s Organisation in 1954.

It is a dish of varied heritage, said to have been originally brought from Holland by founding father Jan van Piebeeck in 1652—however, because the Dutch had a flourishing spice trade with the East, spices were added. Slaves also contributed their own tastes by adding the local sweet and sour flavors of dried fruits and nuts, such as apricots and almonds.

This recipe is loosely based on Hildagonda Duckitt’s in Hilda’s “Where Is It?” Book of Recipes.

1 medium-large slice white bread, soaked in a cup of whole milk

1–2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and finely sliced or chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1–2 tablespoons mild curry powder

2 pounds (900 g) ground lamb or beef

2 ounces (50 g) dried apricots, chopped

6–8 almonds, slivered 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Rind and juice of 1 lemon

Salt, to taste

3 eggs, divided

1 cup (240 mL) whole milk

Bay leaves (optional)

Cooked white rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degree (180oC, Gas Mark 4).

Remove the bread from the cup of milk, wring out to dry, and set aside.

In large skillet, warm the butter or oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and fry until soft and golden brown. Add the garlic, turmeric, and curry powder and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pan, fry the ground lamb or beef, without oil, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and add the onion mixture, apricots, almonds, sugar, lemon rind and juice, 1 of the eggs, and the soaked bread. Season with salt and mix well. Place in a large ovenproof dish, pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the 2 remaining eggs lightly with the whole milk. Pour over the meat mixture. Add some bay leaves, if using. (Hilda suggests that the mixture can, if wished, be placed into little ovenproof cups or dishes, which was the old Indian way, with a bay leaf stuffed into each cup.)

Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes (20 to 25 minutes if using small dishes), until the topping has set and is golden brown. Hilda also suggests serving this with rice, and says “this dish is equally good made of cold mutton.”

We love to hear your thoughts on this recipe and your experience cooking Afghan food. Leave your thought in the COMMENTS section of this post.

I served this dish in pita pockets, lathered with the creamy yogurt sauce from the recipes and a freshly tossed salad.

Fresh veggies and garbanzo beans

Here is how authors – Helen Saberi and Colleen Taylor Sin recommend you make this dish.

Afghan Potatoes with Spicy Yogurt Sauce

Burani Katchalu

In Afghanistan, this dish is called Burani Katchalu. Burani is the name given to a vast range of dishes across the Islamic heartland, from Spain to the Balkans and from Morocco to India. Burani can be made with any variety of vegetable, including eggplant, potatoes, and spinach, but no matter the main ingredient, it always has a yogurt sauce.

There are many legends about this dish’s origin; one is that Burani was the nickname of the princess who married the Caliph of Baghdad in the 9th century, and burani the food has evolved from a special yogurt dish served at her lavish wedding celebrations. Whatever the true origin, this recipe makes a tasty midday snack. Enjoy it with freshly baked naan.

1. In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently until golden brown. Add the tomato purée and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until brown. Add the water and chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the sauce has thickened a little. Add the potatoes and turmeric and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir carefully, until the potatoes are coated with the sauce. Add more water if necessary—the sauce should be thick, not watery.

Just tossed the potatoes in the sauce

2. Cook gently over low heat, stirring carefully from time to time so as not to break up the potatoes. Add more water as needed if the sauce is becoming too dry. This will very much depend on the type of potatoes you use. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender.

3. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and yogurt. Season to taste with salt and chili powder. Spread about 1/2 of the yogurt over a warm serving dish, then arrange the potatoes on top. Top with spoonful of the remaining yogurt and serve any extra in a separate bowl.

Today, before the mother's day brunch, before opening gifts, before embracing our daugthers - let's take a moment of silence for the kidnapped Nigerian girls and their mothers.

05/09/2014

One of Afghanistan's most beautiful province - Badakshan

By Humaira

I make a point of not hitting up my readers for donations but this is a cause worth paying attention to.

Hundreds of people in the village of Abi Barik in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province were buried when the side of a mountain collapsed following days of heavy rain. At least 2,000 people have been displaced in one of the worst natural disasters to hit Afghanistan.

Aid is pouring in slowly and the residents are in great need of our support. I am calling on all Afghans in the diaspora to think about making a donation to a trusted organization if you haven't already done so.

It took me 30 seconds to make a donation on Khaled Hosseini's Fundly page.

From Khaled

I am raising funds to assist victims of the Badakhshan landslide via UNICEF, a first responder. I will match your donation $ for $ up to $20,000.00 for a total of $40,000.

Also for donation over $1000 - Khaled will send you a personalize copy of his book "And The Mountains Echoed" or any of his other two fabulous books.

05/08/2014

Embeded in the post is a call to vote for a title to my novel. Yes, I've been working on a book for the past year.

Would you please cast your vote in the comments section of this post for one of the four titles or perhaps suggest your own? Thank you in advance.

Book Club Cheeerleader Blog Repost

This is one of the things I love about literary organizations—you always meet fascinating people who are eager to tell their story and share fun stuff with you! We book nerds are a very generous (and chatty) bunch… So, at a recent Women’s National Book Association event in San Francisco, I ran into a lovely woman in the hallway who was talking about the Middle East and telling someone that she has a blog on Afghan culture and book clubs often use it as a reference for recipes, décor, etc. when they discuss anything by Khaled Hosseini. Of course, she had me at “book club”, and not being particularly shy, I jumped into the conversation. As she revealed her background to me, I just knew she’s have some very fun stuff to share with us on Book Club Cheerleader. Her name is Humaira Ghilzai and here’s her story…

My family immigrated to the United States after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. After losing everything—home, worth, and stability—my parents started their new life while clinging on to the past.

Unlike my parents, at age eleven, I embraced my American life.

I spent the majority of my youth assimilating while leaving behind the sad memories of bombs exploding, Russian soldiers marching into my city and the nightmarish two-day escape over the boarder to Pakistan.

Instead, I focused on learning flawless English, dressing hip and rarely speaking about my family’s plight. On rare occasions when I did open up to friends—they stared blankly at me and said, “Oh wow!”

By the time I was in my 20’s, these memories were pushed so far back in my subconscious that at times I questioned their legitimacy.

I still remember the day when my husband handed me The Kite Runner, long before the book was a best seller.

“Found this at the airport bookstore—it’s as if it was written about your family.”

It’s no coincidence that Khaled Hosseini captures the Afghan immigrant story so accurately; our families were some of the first Afghan immigrants to the Bay Area.

It wasn’t long before people started asking me about Afghanistan, Hazaras, Pashtuns and my immigrant story. I was invited to friends’ book clubs—somehow this book validated my experiences as “real” —it gave me the voice I needed to share my family’s experiences.

In the past ten years, in addition to being a re-born Afghan, I have reconnected with Afghanistan through my non-profit, Afghan Friends Network—we educate girls, boys and women.

It’s the reconnection with my cultural heritage and the inspirational people I have worked with that emboldened me to write my first novel—still in editing phase and seeking an agent.

Here is a bit about my book:

A charismatic warlord facilitates a meeting of two extraordinary women in a remote province of Afghanistan. Assia and Feroza’s unlikely meeting comes as each of their lives unravels.

The 33-year-old Assia is burdened by a successful career, motherhood, a doting American husband—while living in a lavish Victorian in San Francisco. The price of the “American Dream” is abandoning her Afghan heritage, leaving a void in her fairy tale life.

Feroza is not so lucky; her life is riddled with bullets, Taliban and an overbearing mother-in-law. But neither birthing 9 children nor an oppressive society stops her passion to be a game changer. But, it all comes at great cost.

Feroza and Assia begin to fill the voids in each other’s lives. Together they set off to change the lives of Afghan girls in one of the most conservative and Taliban riddled provinces of Afghanistan. This novel takes the reader through weddings, births, and humor in life’s setbacks with two women’s enduring friendship across distant cultures.

Would you read this book?

If your answer is yes, then help me pick a title. Naming a book is like naming a first born, it’s a daunting responsibility with no easy answers.

Here are the names I’ve been mulling over. Pick your favorite.

1. ART OF BEING AFGHAN: A novel2. TWO WOMEN AND A WARLORD: A novel of Afghanistan and beyond3. GRACE AND WILL: A novel of strong Afghan women at home and abroad4. ENVY THE WARLORD: A novel of two Afghan women

Put your vote in the comment section of this post.

As a gift to you lovely book clubbers, I would like to share a few favorite Afghan dessert recipes from my blog Afghan Culture Unveiled. Perhaps these dishes will further sweeten your next book club gathering.

Humaira Ghilzai was born in Afghanistan and now lives in San Francisco. She reconnects to her roots by writing about Afghan women, Afghan culture and food of her homeland. In her blog, Afghan Culture Unveiled, she passionately shares the wonders of her beleaguered country through stories about her childhood in Afghanistan and her family’s experiences as immigrants. Humaira consults on Afghan culture, speaks about Afghanistan and is a social entrepreneur.

Of course, you don’t have to celebrate And The Mountains Echoed to try one of these great recipes—Nadia Hashimi’s The Pearl That Broke Its Shell is getting all kinds of positive press, and of course, eventually we can all discuss Humaira’s new book—whatever she chooses to title it. (Don’t forget to give us your two cents on that question.)

Then again, rice pudding is a favorite in my family—not needing any excuse—literary or otherwise…

05/01/2014

Aside from Jeja, my mom, Helen Saberi would be the next person I would go to for Afghan cooking advice. Helen is the author of Afghan Food and Cookery, the one and only published Afghan cookbook.

When Helen told me about her newest project, an e-cookbook co-written by Colleen Taylor Sen, about Turmeric, I readily agreed to contribute a couple of my own recipes.

Helen who lives in England and Colleen in Chicago - first met in the mid 1990s at the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery, and have since met nearly every year at the same event. They have a lot in common despite living on different sides of the Atlantic. Colleen’s expertise is food history of India and Helen's is Afghan and Central Asian food.

Below is an excerpt from their e-cookbook, published by Agate Publishing, about medicinal benefits of Turmeric. I have also included one of 70 delicious recipes from the book - Afghan Fish Stew.

Turmeric - the Wonder Spice

an e-cookbook

Turmeric is one of the most versatile and ancient spices. It is used in a variety of ways: as a dye, a ritual and ceremonial item, a medicine, an antiseptic, and, above all else, as a flavoring. The English name for the spice is thought to come from the Latin terra merita, which means “worthy (or meritorious) earth”—and the name is well deserved, for turmeric is truly a wonder spice!

From time immemorial, spices have played an important role in Indian, Chinese, and Indonesian medicine, and none was more important than turmeric. It was used to treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary disorders, diabetes, atherosclerosis, bacterial infections, gum disease, and skin diseases. Even today, South Asians apply a paste of turmeric and water as an antiseptic to cuts and strains; take a teaspoon in warm milk or yogurt, either after a meal as an aid to digestion or to relieve the symptoms of a fever; and breathe steam infused with turmeric to relieve congestion.

A couple of decades ago, medical researchers began noticing an interesting phenomenon in countries such as India, Singapore, and Malaysia, where turmeric and curry powder are dietary staples. Compared to countries where turmeric-rich dishes are less common, these countries had (and continue to have) significantly lower rates of certain ailments, including: breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers; childhood leukemia; and Alzheimer’s disease.

To follow up on these epidemiological observations, scientists conducted thousands of studies, mainly controlled laboratory tests on cell cultures and animals. The results have been so promising that the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the National Institute on Aging, the UK Medical Research Council, and other agencies are supporting additional investigations, including clinical trials of human patients.

According to ClinicalTrials.gov, a registry of US clinical studies, nearly 80 clinical trials of the effectiveness of turmeric have been or are being conducted to date. In mid-2013, PubMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s database of articles from medical and biological science journals around the world, contained nearly 6,000 references to turmeric and curcumin—compare this to 2005, when there were just 300 references. Around the turn of the century, large pharmaceutical companies attempted to patent curcumin and turmeric, but were denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2001 on the grounds that its medicinal properties were not patentable.

Although much of the research is in its early stages, the results are so promising that physicians are recommending everyone add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric to their daily diet. Health-food companies are jumping on the turmeric bandwagon by producing expensive supplements, whose purity and efficacy are not easily verifiable since they are not subject to government regulation in the United States. A much more pleasant, inexpensive, and safe way to bring turmeric into your life is to incorporate it into your meals, and the purpose of this book is to show you ways of doing this via fun, tasty, and easy-to-make.

In Afghanistan, the large river fish called mahi laqa is used for this dish; however, cod or haddock can be substituted. Traditionally, mooli safaid (known in the West as white radish or daikon) is cooked with the fish, but it can also be prepared without and is still very good.

2. In a large skillet, warm the oil over high heat and fry the fish quickly on both sides, until golden brown. Do not cook through. Remove from the heat, transfer the fish from the skillet to a plate, and set aside. Reserve the oil and set aside.

3. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the mooli and 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric. Boil gently until soft, then drain and set aside.

4. Filter the oil, then place it into a deep saucepan. Reheat the oil over medium heat and fry the chopped onions and crushed garlic, until soft and reddish-brown. Mix in the tomatoes and fry vigorously, until the tomatoes brown and the liquid is reduced. Add the water, the coriander, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric. Season to taste with red pepper flakes and salt. Stir, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, place 1/2 of the reserved mooli in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the fish, then top with the remaining mooli.

6. Once the tomato sauce is cooked, pour over the fish and mooli. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Do not overcook or boil vigorously, or the fish will disintegrate. Serve hot, with white rice.

04/29/2014

Urban-dweller confession time: I have a bit of a Fremont problem. Wife out of town with the kids? I'll just scoot across the Dumbarton Bridge to Fremont. Need to buy some new clothes? Let's head to the Great Mall near, um, Fremont. Saturday afternoon with no plans? Fremont.

The real reason for my fascination lies not in the town's beauty or culture (sorry, Fremont.) It's the kabobs. The Afghan kabobs, to be exact.

Closet-sized De Afghanan Kabob House has been one of my secret hideouts ever since my longtime friend, Afghan cooking blogger Humaira Ghilzai, told me about it years ago.

To say that I was excited to learn that Da Afghanan Kabob House was opening a new branch on Geary Street, a mere 2 miles from my house, would be an understatement. But with the niece and nephews of the original owner in charge, would it be as good? I asked Humaira to join me to find out.

We began with potato bolani: slightly crispy, a tad greasy and totally addictive. Swabbing each rectangular slice with a bit of the accompanying tart, housemade yogurt, I plowed through the large order almost on my own while thinking aloud to Humaira how much this onion-laden flatbread reminded me in flavor of a thicker, denser potato knish I once devoured in Brighton Beach, N.Y.

Mantu, the ravioli-like dish of pasta stuffed with spiced ground beef and capped with yogurt and mint, made for another stellar starter, as did the little complementary bowls of shor nakhad, diced potatoes and garbanzo beans tossed with a shocking green cilantro sauce. This alone would make for a perfect lunch on a hot day.

The undisputed stars of the show, though, were the kabobs. Humaira considers a kabob's tenderness to be the main indicator of whether the kitchen is in good hands, and the meats here passed with flying colors.

I rarely get turned on by poultry, but at this spot, the char-broiled, orange-hued hunks of chicken breast were impossibly juicy, the result of an overnight marinade.

Equally luscious was the tekka kabob, tender wedges of tri-tip cooked to a perfect pink on the inside and aggressively seasoned. Co-owner Jay Fedaiy played coy when questioned about spices and marinades, revealing only that, "Over the years, some things have been added and some things have been subtracted." He at least admitted to using plenty of onions and garlic.

For the ultimate taste test, I drove one night to the Fremont location (yes, again) to sample my favorite, the chaplee kabob, patties of ground beef, egg and chopped onion with a dash of red pepper flakes. The following evening, I had the same item for dinner on Geary. Both versions would be the hamburger of my dreams if stuffed between a few slices of bolani (mental note: idea for food truck?), but, if pressed, I'd give the slight nod to the newcomer. Its kabobs were a bit moister with a more pronounced fiery kick.

A sense of deja vu comes with good reason. A few years ago, another relative also opened an outpost of De Afghanan Kabob House just around the corner on Polk Street that quickly shuttered. Here's to a more successful run for this new incarnation. It's saving me some serious gas money.

04/25/2014

Jeja (my mom) has a reputation of being an excellent cook within the Bay Area Afghan community. I wouldn’t dare share any recipe that wouldn’t pass muster with her. In this blog I share my family's home cooking recipes for your Western kitchen. The blog is my way to educate the world about Afghan people and the delicious food of Afghanistan. It's also my effort to keep in touch with my cultural heritage as I raise my two daughters in San Francisco, California.

My research for this blog has not only strenghtened my relationship with my mom, it has also given me great appreciation and understanding of Afghan people.

What has been most surprising to me is how food brings people across all cultures together.

Once I was at my daughter's class pot-luck -- I introduced myself to the math teacher. She looked at my name tag and said,

I am alway thrilled a to meet a reader but, the ones that take my recipes and make it their own is even more exciting to me.

In this blog the recipes have been tested by Afghans and non Afghans. I always retain the delicious flavors of Afghan food but simplify the cooking so it's accessible to experienced and novice cooks.

Padron chilis are small and relatively mild. I used them in this recipe to create my version of an Afghan chili sauce, a condiment commonly served with kebabs or as an accompaniment to other side dishes. I don’t particularly like super spicy foods, but I love a little zing of pepper alongside milder dishes. This sauce is designed to brighten the flavors of rice, meat or Qorma dishes without overpowering the food. Use sparingly.

Afghan Inspired Spicy Chili Sauce

Chutney

2 pints padron chilis (around 22 peppers), ends off and seeds removed

3 cloves peeled garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts

½ cup white vinegar

Put the peppers, garlic, salt, black pepper, walnuts, and vinegar in the food processor and use the pulse button to grind the peppers and mix the ingredients. Pulse a couple of times, wipe the sides, check the consistency and pulse more. The sauce looks best and ends up with a pleasing crunch if you don’t over blend it. If you prefer things really spicy, use a hotter chili like jalapenos.

Serve in a small bowl and use a small amount to eat with whatever you are making for dinner.

04/15/2014

The hardest part of being an immigrant is adapting to one’s newly adopted home. My family struggled with decoding the basics of living in the United States. I wish my parents had access to the Immigrant Success Planning: A Family Resource Guide, by my friend, Afghan American author, Atta Arghandiwal.

This book has detailed “how to” guide for immigrants inthe U.S. and Canada ranging from basic to complex issues: how to shop, how to find a rental, how to manage finances, how to find a job, how to become a citizen and more.

My family’s life changed dramatically after the Russian invasion of 1979. There was an exodus of middle class Afghans from Afghanistan. Mine was one of the hundred of families who settled in the Bay Area. Luckily, we found a community of other Afghan immigrant families who were also struggling just like us. Our parents gathered over large platters of Mantoo, a coveted Afghan dumpling dish or the hearty meat and potato Qorma and advised each other on food stamp collection, San Jose flea market bargains, and the complexity of getting medical care in America.

For me, food is what has kept my Afghan family comforted through years of turbulence, uncertainty and loss. Back home we had a cook who made all the meals under mom’s supervision and instruction. My mom, Jeja, saw cooking as a chore, which she hoped her daughters would never have to do. But, it’s her generation that holds the secret to the art of authentic Afghan cuisine. Our families were who had access best ingredients for making gourmet Afghan cuisine.

Initially, the newly immigrated Afghan women such as my mother, scoured grocery stores and Indian markets in Northern California for ingredients. The delicious aroma of coriander, cumin, and cardamom slowly healed the wounds of their loss and soothed their fears of their new life. Now, there is an Afghan market or restaurant in every corner of Fremont and surrounding cities.

Immigrant children, such as myself, adapt quickly to their new home and are happy to embrace their new lives. Adults on the other hand struggle to re-build the foundation of the life they lost. They hold on to their culture -- assimilation is considered a betrayal of their mother country.

Looking back at my turbulent childhood of moving from Afghanistan to India, back to Afghanistan -- then to Pakistan, followed by Germany and finally the United States. There is one common thread of familiarity --my mother’s Afghan food that always kept me grounded and connected to my roots.

I think Atta has done a great service to many who arrive at this the land of milk and honey by providing them an instruction’s manual. I feel the practical advice, summary notes highlighting specific points and pull out boxes with positive and supportive life lesson from Atta’s own immigrant experience is what makes this book so useful and usable.

Atta is the award winning author of a memoir Lost Decency: The Untold Afghan Story and Immigrant Success Planning. Visit his extensive website, www.attamoves.com where he shares a wealth of information for new immigrants.

Humaira: How did you transition from writing a memoir to a "How to" book?

Atta: I started writing three different books simultaneously -- Memoir, Immigrant Success Planning, as well as a Leadership Guide for immigrants.

But writing the “Immigrant Success Planning” was always on my mind from early days of arrival to my years in the Financial Services industry. In the end, I was encouraged by several authors to publish the memoir first -- to build a platform.

Humaira: Most immigrants don't speak English when they need a resource book like yours. Is your book available in other languages?

Atta: Unfortunately, not at this point. I am looking into translation possibilities Farsi, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic I do feel that immigrant families usually have at least a couple members of family who speak English. My hope is that most people will benefit from this handy resource.

Humaira: Did your family have problems finding ingredients to make authentic Afghan food?

Atta: Yes, resources were indeed scarce in early years – I remember going to Indian stores in Berkeley almost every week. My family loves to cook. There experts within our family in the Bay Area who pass their knowledge and heritage to the younger generation.

Atta: My brothers and I have been completely spoiled from day one -- our mother and seven sisters are all amazing cooks. My wife Halima, is an amazing cook who prepares delicious Afghan food. I like to do prep and the clean up.

04/11/2014

I say the verdict is still out. Living in San Francisco, like many Afghans in the diaspora, I play the role of cheerleader rather than a player.

As all cheerleaders do, they watch the game and cheer at the right time but I feel like something has been missing in this game and the reporting of it. In talking to my friend Mark Mullen over coffee, the light bulb finally went on.

Just to qualify things, Mark is one of the foremost experts on elections in developing countries. Mark is the chair of Transparency International in the country of Georgia. He headed the Georgia office of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), a Washington based NGO that promotes democracy worldwide, from 1997 until Shevardnadze left office. So, I thought he would be a good person to talk to.

According to Mark, there are three and only three requirements for a successful election:

1. Peaceful voting.

2. Losing candidate accepts results.

3. The person elected is whom most people voted for.

How many election rules are broken doesn't matter -- it's the will of the people and their ownership of the results that counts. We've dumped the Kool Aid on the coach before the game has ended.

Don't get me wrong. I am very proud of how the elections were executed and proud of the Afghans who voted -- let's do things right and not lose site of the crucial next steps.

As we wait for the votes to be counted and possibly a run off election, I want to pass on a few words of wisdom my friend Mark bestowed upon me.

If there is a run off, the country will be divided and how that division is handled will make or break the election's success. Once a candidate is declared a winner, the losing candidate should not contest the election results. In return, the winner must be civil to his opponets and have a delicately crafted inauguration speech declaring himself as the President for all the Afghan people, whether they voted for him or not. How the winner handles the win determines how the country will the people will support and trust their new leader.

Afghan presidential candidates

So, Mr. Ghani, Mr. Abdullah and Mr. Rassoul. I hope you take on Mark's years of experience and good advice to heart and move Afghanistan to the next phase of its fledgling democracy with a united front.

04/10/2014

Ever since leaving Afghanistan 34 years ago, I would think back to the summer days in Paghman where my family would go for Friday outings to escape the Kabul heat. Paghman is only a short drive from Kabul but has very mild weather. Wealthy Kabulis would spend their summer days in their lush villas, have picnics in their beautiful gardens and swim in the rivers of Paghman.

Our summer holidays were filled with great food but my favorite was the afternoon snack of fresh cheese with raisins (kishmish paneer). A local Kochi-nomad woman would deliver the fresh panare which would be wrapped in a cloth. It would be served on a platter with black raisins, nuts and fresh fruit. My mouth is watering just writing about it.

My family never found an equivelant to Afghan panare in American, so we created our own recipe. The cheese is very mild in flavor and has a chewy mozzarella like consistency . The key to bringing the flavors out is the raisins. They are heavenly together. You can also have it on a cracker with a dribble of cherry preserve or honey. Many Americans who have tasted it feel that it needs more salt but traditionally this cheese has unrecognizable amount of salt. You can adjust the recipe to your own taste.

I hope you love this as much as I do.

Fresh Afghan Cheese

Kimish Panare

1/2 gallon of one percent milk

1/2 gallon of buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. of salt

Cheese cloth (Whole foods, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Round deep colander

Raisins

This recipe can be doubled.

In a large heavy pan heat the milk on medium heat. While waiting, cut the cheese cloth to fit the colander and have some of it drape off the side of the colander. If the mesh on the cheese cloth is not very fine, lay 2-3 layers.

Just when the milk starts to boil (don't burn the bottom) remove it from heat. Add the buttermilk and salt. Stir for 1 minute. Set the colander in the sink and slowly pour the contents of the pot into the colander. Make sure that the cheese cloth doesn't slide off the sides of the colander. The milk will curdle and the liquid will drip out of the colander. Scrape the side of the cheese cloth to speed up the drainage of the liquid.

The contents will reduce slowly. Grab the side of the cheese cloth and tie with with a clip or a rubber band. Continue squeezing the cheese cloth until there is barely any water squeezing out but it should still feel moist otherwise the cheese will be too dry. By now the cheese should be the size of a large softball.

Put the cheese in the cheese cloth with a bowl lined with two layers of paper towel. Leave it in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until it is solid.

Take the cheese out of the cheese cloth, cut in 1/4 inch thick slice, serve with black raisins.

04/03/2014

Haleem is a delicacy mostly enjoyed in the cold winter months of Afghanistan. It’s considered a warming dish, usually made with protein, oats and wheat. In Afghanistan, due to the high price of chicken, Haleem is made with beef. Traditionally it’s served in a bowl with brown sugar and topped with a generous dollop of hot cooking oil. Haleem lovers in the Afghan diaspora, mostly use chicken and they substitute butter for oil.

I didn’t grow up eating Haleem, since Jeja, my mom, can't stand the idea of protein in her oatmeal. Truthfully, I only learned about the dish a few months ago at an Afghan dinner party. I was immediately obsessed with finding the right recipe. My sister Nabila reached out to her network of accomplished Afghan cooks. We found many variations in people’s techniques. Some people use whole chicken, others use short grain rice instead of oatmeal. In many cases people added milk before baking the dish in a dutch oven overnight

After much testing and tasting, we came up with an easy recipe which makes having a hot bowl of Haleem very easy. You can wake up to the scent of cardamom.

Aghan Breakfast Oatmeal with Chicken and Cardamom

Haleem

One skinless, boneless chicken breast, around ½ lb

cinnamon stick

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 rolled oats

¾ cup Cream of Wheat

1 tsp ground cardamom

Crock pot

Place chicken breast in a heavy pot, add five cups of water, a cinnamon stick and salt, bring to boil. Cover top, reduce heat to low, simmer for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and soft. Remove pot from heat, let it cool for half hour.

Discard cinnamon stick. Add chicken breast and two cups of broth to a food processor. Save the rest of the broth if there is any. Pulse the chicken and broth five to eight times until it becomes a thick mixture.

In a large crockpot, add oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, chicken mixture, left over chicken broth, cardamom and 5 cups of water. Stir well. Set crockpot on low for eight hour.

Serve in a large bowl with a generous spoonful of powdered sugar and a knob of butter. Stir well and enjoy. I usually add almonds milk, chopped dates and walnuts to my bowl of Haleem.

03/31/2014

The many faces of the diaspora

By Fariba Nawa

With tens of thousands of educated Afghans fleeing the country, an imminent brain drain threatens the reconstruction of Afghanistan after 2014.

It’s a Saturday afternoon in San Francisco’s Haight District, and Afghan Friends Network’s (AFN) board members have gathered to do an important job. An Afghan spread of roat, nuts and raisins is set before them. The refreshing aroma of cardamom-flavoured green tea travels from the kitchen of the four-story Victorian house to the dining area, where they work on the large circular table. Teenage girls sit around the kitchen table singing American pop songs.

Humaira Ghilzai is the co-founder of AFN, a tiny nonprofit manned by an all-volunteer team which funds three schools in Ghazni, Afghanistan that provide education to about 750 students. The group also employs teachers and administrators, teaches 80 women to read, and provides scholarships to students to further their education. They do this with $78,000 a year, 90 percent of which is spent on projects in Afghanistan (the other 10 percent pays a lawyer to look after their taxes, marketing and online presence).

On this foggy Saturday, the board members are here to plan the theme of their next annual fundraiser. They also discuss activities in the Ghazni schools while Ghilzai’s teenage daughter Aria and her friends do the old-fashioned but important task of stuffing envelopes with letters to donors asking for money to support the organisation’s work.

Ghilzai’s family fled Afghanistan in 1980 when she was 11 years old, but it wasn’t until she was in her 20s that she wanted to help the country she had left behind. The mother of two has worked in technology and as a style consultant and blogger, but nothing has been more rewarding than managing AFN. She has traveled to Ghazni three times to monitor the schools and meet with teachers and students.

“I have seen a lot of self-motivation and teamwork I didn’t expect in Afghanistan,” Ghilzai said. “I do not see Afghanistan’s future as doom and gloom. With the media exploding, it’s really different now. There will be a setback [with the troop withdrawal], but I do think if we in the West keep Afghanistan in our conscience, things will get better.”

Ghilzai’s family was among the six million Afghans who fled the Soviet invasion of 1979, which created the largest refugee community in the world and signaled the beginning of a severe brain drain from Afghanistan. The majority of this wave settled in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. At least two million returned after the Taliban were ousted in 2001 (including thousands of wealthy Afghans who had made a life in developed countries), joining those who had stayed put in Afghanistan through the decades of war and were finally getting a chance to go to school and work again.

A small percentage of the young men and women who make up the majority of the 30 million strong population have flourished in the last 12 years. They have become professionals, technocrats, Fulbright scholars, political analysts, entertainers, journalists and entrepreneurs.

NATO troops are leaving, with only a small garrison of American boots remaining on the ground after 2014 to train Afghan soldiers and to prevent al Qaeda from gaining strength in Afghanistan. The foreign media’s presence is likely to decrease at the same time, along with the Afghans who have the means to get out – leaving those behind to deal with the problems of human and capital flight.

The media’s post-2014 predictions are pessimistic and omnipresent, and fears of a looming and bloody civil war and the return of the Taliban are driving out tens of thousands of Afghans. Those who flee Afghanistan list security as the number one reason, followed by a lack of long-term employment prospects. The urban educated are headed to western countries – more than 36,000 Afghans sought asylum in 2011 according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Afghan diplomats, students studying abroad and those traveling for training and seminars are defecting to foreign countries, while those without the necessary money and contacts are settling in bordering nations again in search of employment.

They are all, like Ghilzai, becoming part of the Afghan diaspora, and the burden of Afghanistan falls on their shoulders. Those who will remain in the country – the poorest, least educated and a minority of the elite who swear to stick it out – are reaching out to the diaspora for help with jobs, education and information. Can those in exile meet the needs of their forgotten nation?

Omaid Sharifi, the regional manager for Tawanmandi, a civil society organisation in Kabul, is ambivalent about the diaspora. He himself has decided to stay in Afghanistan: “It is tough to fill the shoes of the accomplished ones in a country with a very high rate of illiteracy. However, the Afghan diaspora can be active in lobbying for human rights and fund-raising for civil movements in their European and American capitals,” he says.

Transnational communities

In February 2014, activists abroad teamed up with those inside Afghanistan to prevent a setback to recently introduced and hard-fought for policies that allow women to seek legal redress from domestic abuse, underage and forced marriage. Parliament had proposed a bill that would have forbidden women from testifying against family members, effectively rendering the new law ineffective as most domestic violence occurs within families. However, in the face of sustained pressure from rights groups and advocates, including from many Afghans abroad, President Hamid Karzai vetoed the bill in February this year.

For citizens of conflict zones throughout the world, diasporic communities have played crucial roles in rebuilding the economy of the home country. Afghan exiles and migrant workers have been sending money to families inside the country since the Soviet invasion, when their impact was limited because most Afghans were disconnected and dispersed across the globe. The advent of satellite TV and social media in the last decade has brought the diaspora closer to those inside the country.

Afghans are communicating transnationally, and those who live on the outside are in daily contact with their compatriots at home. Afghanistan media companies like Ariana and Tolo TV target some of their programming for the diaspora. Activists reach out on Facebook and Twitter, posting events from some of the most remote areas of Afghanistan. This interaction makes it easier for the diaspora to open an NGO from afar, to run a business, to change laws inside the country.

Diaspora success stories include that of Afghan media mogul Saad Mohseni, whose Tolo TV and other broadcast television and radio programs are the most popular in the country. Mohseni commutes to Afghanistan from Dubai, but he’s part of the booming, cutting-edge media industry that is changing mindsets and setting social trends. It’s hard to follow in Mohseni’s footsteps.

Hundreds of well-meaning Afghan exiles have failed to sustain productive partnerships with the Afghan government, nonprofit or business investments in the face of corruption, ineptitude, a dearth of funds and violence. They also confront the distrust and bitterness from Afghans left behind. ‘Dog washers’ is the name given by Afghans to their compatriots in the West who have gotten high positions in the Afghan government simply because of their foreign passports.

Those foreign passports have resulted in large international salaries, while Afghans working alongside them receive a tenth of the money. Their distrust is understandable. Many Afghans now living abroad are doing so on the proceeds of embezzled development money. The US has arrested several Afghan-Americans for crimes committed in Afghanistan, including bribery, bid-rigging for construction contracts and drug smuggling. “Some Afghans blame the diaspora for getting extremely high salaries, and accuse them of having no love and respect for the country and their culture.

They are called the cowards who left Afghanistan alone for a better life,” Tawanmandi’s Omaid Sharifi says. The criminals cast a shadow on the genuine do-gooders who spend their own money paying to travel to Afghanistan and hold fundraisers to run clinics and schools. Dozens of NGOs and for-profit projects that provide jobs are founded and operated by Afghans from North America, Europe and Australia. Afghans settled abroad in the West say their efforts alone may not rescue Afghanistan – the country needs effective institutions and security – but they are making a small difference.

If more Afghans become active and involved, then the Diaspora will become a serious force for change in the long term. Any change in Afghanistan is going to take time, they say, and after the international community and aid organisations have found another trouble spot and moved on, it may be the case that only the Afghans abroad have the tenacity to continue helping.

Manizha Naderi Parand runs Women for Afghan Women (WAW), a nonprofit founded in New York when the Taliban were running Afghanistan. After the US-led invasion, WAW opened offices in Afghanistan and has since become a controversial NGO fighting for women’s rights. The group gives shelter to battered women, lobbies for laws to protect women and stands up to horrific misogyny. Parand lobbied hard against the latest bill that Karzai vetoed. “I have been living in Afghanistan since 2006. I left New York to go to Afghanistan to make a difference,” she says. “I know many expat Afghans who have left comfortable homes in the West to make a change in Afghanistan. In order for Afghanistan to prosper, the Afghan government has to find a way to use all of its resources, including the assistance of expat Afghans who long for home.”

The Afghan diaspora is as diverse as the population which remains inside the country, and often as divided. Among the older generations the same ethnic and religious rivalries – Tajik-Pashtun, Shiite-Sunni, Farsi-Pashto – surface in organisations and collectives formed to aid Afghanistan. Even the Afghan Coalition, an umbrella organisation in the San Francisco Bay Area (where the largest community of Afghans in the US resides) struggles to unite community leaders because of these schisms.

But trends are changing among the younger generation of Afghans who have grown up outside their country, just as things are changing inside Afghanistan. Many of the Afghans born in the US or Europe do not hold the same prejudices and grudges as their parents, and tend to be more pluralist and egalitarian. The motivation to remain engaged and active is personal for each individual and can come from a sense of responsibility, survivor guilt, or be used as a way to soothe displacement and foster belonging. Esmael Darman, a psychologist, was a medical doctor in Afghanistan.

Born and raised during the Soviet occupation, the softly-spoken 31-year-old won a Fulbright scholarship in 2008 and studied psychology in the US. He sought asylum and his case was approved, but his work continues to revolve around Afghans. Darman has created the first mental health website for Afghans (rawanonline.com) which tackles taboo issues like depression and sexual assault in both Farsi and English. Nearly 12,000 people visit the website daily, most of them from Afghanistan and Iran.

Darman, who lives in California, says the transfer of knowledge is probably the most important service the diaspora can offer Afghans inside the country: “Knowledge is one of the best tools. It is undoubtedly a vital component for change.” He has struggled with his decision to stay in the US “I do feel guilty about leaving. Once I realise that the situation is good for me to work there effectively, I will go. The homeland needs me, but I need it as well. The two-way relationship is still there.”

For other Western-based Afghans, the homeland has become their calling. Mina Sharif, 33 was a year old when her family migrated to Canada to escape the communist invasion. But when she graduated from college in Canada with a degree in communications, she headed straight to Kabul. Sharif has trained women in radio broadcasting, taught English to cooks and guards, and most recently, helped produce Bagche Simsim, Afghanistan’s version of Sesame Street. She first left Canada in 2005 and returned a few months ago because she was getting ill. She’s anxious to return despite her family’s objections. Even if she stays in Toronto, the advocate will find work related to Afghanistan.

The animated Sharif speaks with passion and humour about her birthplace and its people: “Afghanistan is like a troubled teenager and as someone who simply loves it a lot, it’s very hard to be away from it…I’m addicted to watching it grow and heal.”

~This article is a part of Reclaiming Afghanistan: web-exclusive package.

~Fariba Nawa is a San Francisco Bay Area-journalist, speaker and author of Afghanistan, Inc. and Opium Nation, and has traveled and worked in Afghanistan and the region for seven years.

03/27/2014

For many years I hosted an Afghan dinner as an auction item for my daughter’s school fundraiser. I found myself slaving over the meal for many days and at the end there was nothing to show for my hours of labor except for a kitchen full of dirty dishes. After someone mentioned that they wanted to learn how to cook Afghan food, a light bulb went on. Why not do a “Cook Your Own Afghan Feast” auction item? That is exactly what I have done in the past two years and I must say it has been lots of fun sharing the cooking with my guests.

Jeja, my mom and all her friends would be horrified to find out that I have my guests cooking the whole meal. It is against all the rules of Afghan hospitality. So, when I told Jeja about this dinner party, I left out this minor detail. Instead I focused on my mantoo dish, which is a conglomerate of various recipes that I tested over and over until I got just the right flavors. Normally, Jeja is my source for recipes, but she prefers aushak to mantoo and rarely makes this dish. The basic difference between the two dumpling dishes is that the aushak is boiled and served with a meat sauce on top while mantoo is steamed with the meat mixture inside the dumpling. You would think this is not a big deal but the meat is cooked differently in each recipe, which of course makes the dishes taste very different.

I tinkered with this mantoo recipe until it ended up tasting like the dish I was served in in Ghazni, Afghanistan two year ago when a warlord brought dinner for us on the NATO forward operating base (a story that will be revealed in a different post).

My conclusion after various versions of the recipe is that lamb meat is key in getting the best flavors with mantoo. I have said many times that I don’t like lamb but what can I say, it is the only way to go with mantoo.

When I was little girl in Afghanistan, my relatives from Ghazni would have an aushak and mantoo making party in the spring. It was an all day event, we would arrive at Boboa Jan’s house in the early afternoon, our mothers would stuff fresh dough cut into thin square wrapper with various stuffing. They would gossip, laugh and pass the afternoon away. The servants would steam the stuffed dumplings and serve it on a distarkhwan on the floor where we would all gather to feast on these mouth-watering dishes. Maybe it was the memory of those afternoon which inspired me to have my own “Make Your Afghan Feast” party.

In the spirit of Afghan hospitality I suggest you gather a few friends and create your own mantoo making party filled with an afternoon of gossiping, cooking and eating.

Stuffing dumplings is fun with kids

Afghan Meat Dumpling

Mantoo

Sauce:

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup dried kidney beans boiled for 20 minutes on high heat but not cooked through

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. diced garlic

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. turmeric

2 cups organic chicken broth

Dumpling:

Steaming pot

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 medium yellow onions diced

1 lb. ground lamb

1 tsp. coriander

2 medium white onions diced

1 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 large package of wonton dough

Yogurt sauce:

½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

½ cup full fat plain yogurt

1 tsp. salt

pinch of garlic powder

Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan on medium-high, and add garlic. Sauté for two minutes until golden. Add all the ingredients of the sauce to the pan, stir well, and bring to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, turn down the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for an hour until the beans are soft and the sauce thickens.

In a large frying pan, sauté the diced yellow onions in olive oil. When the onions are golden brown add the lamb and coriander. Mix well; make sure the lamb does not clump together. Cook over medium heat for around 30 minutes. Remove from heat; place the meat in a colander until all the juice is drained. Let it cool.

While the meat is cooling mix the sour cream, yogurt, salt and garlic powder in a bowl. Stir with a fork until creamy. Set aside.

Add the meat, cilantro and the diced white onions in a bowl and mix by hand until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. On a large clean surface, set out as many wonton wrappers as you can.

In each wrapper, place a tablespoon of the meat mixture. To assemble the dumplings, fill a small bowl with water and put it at your workstation.

Dip the tip of your finger in the water. Moisten the edges of the wrapper. The water will serve as glue for the dumpling. Take two opposite edges of the dough and bring them together in the center, use the tip of your finger to firmly press the edges of the dough together to form a tight seal. Nip together the two remaining sides of the wrapper. Repeat until all the wrappers are used.

Use a dab of oil to grease the steamer shelve with the tips of your fingers, this will prevent the mantoo from sticking to the pot.

Place each stuffed mantoo next to each other leaving a little room in between each one. When the water is boiling, place the steaming rack inside the pot, cover and steam each batch for around 7 minutes. Spread 2 tablespoons of the yogurt sauce on the large platter.

Remove the cooked dumplings from the steaming rack and place on the platter. Repeat these steps until all the dumplings are steamed. Arrange the cooked mantoo on the platter in one layer

Spoon the piping hot bean sauce on top of the mantoo. I like to pour some of the yoguft sauce on the finished platter but traditionally the sauce is served separately for each person to add to their own taste.

03/21/2014

This is my first Nowroz (Afghan New Year) celebration outside Afghanistan, without my larger family and the members of my village. Perhaps my wife and I will have to make our own traditions in the United States but I would like to share what we did in Afghanistan.

In my village, in the province of Ghazni, we celebrated the New Yar for three days. Women wore new clothes, they put on henna on their hands, and they cooked special dishes to welcome the New Year.

Children donned their best outfits and played competitive games of marble, boiled egg fighting and hopscotch with their cousins and neighbors. During Nowroz, I got three days leave from my work in the U.S. base, which I spent with my family.

Men gathered at the mosque for prayer where they were encouraged to settle old disputes and start the New Year with a fresh start. I wonder what another year in the United States will bring for me and my family.

Hassan & his best friend Stetson Sanders in the F.O.B in Ghazni

Hassan was a Country Advisor and Linguist for the highest-ranking State Department Representative in the Forward Operating Base of Ghazni. He and his wife immigrated to the United States under the Special Immigration Visa program. Their daughter Sara was born 6 weeks ago, she is the first and only member of the family with U.S. citizenship. They too are making a fresh start in the United States.

03/20/2014

A conversation with Afghan American author, Community Activist, and Father - Atta Arghandiwal

To honor the Afghan New Year, and more importantly, to encourage the younger generation to respect and remember our traditions, our family holds a special gathering at Nowroz.

The Arghandiwal family, in Northern California, throws a huge party with special food and Nowroz drink Haft mewa, while cooking Samanak*. Our entire family, boys, girls, old and young participate in the process of preparing Samank from growing the wheat to following the traditional cooking process while listening to music, dancing and telling stories.

We gather on the eve of Nowroz to start that Samank preparation, sometimes the cooking goes into the next day. To make the celebration even more authentic, all family members wear traditional Afghan outfits. The adults make a special effort to make every Nowroz celebration memorable for our children in hope that they will retain our traditions in our home away from home.

Arghandiwal family at Atta's son's graduation

*Samanak: A special sweet made from wheat germ which requires several weeks of perparation. The custom is for women to gather, essentially a “girls’ night in” and prepare the dish from late in the evening until daylight, singing special songs. I was in Afghanistan the Spring of 2006. My cousin invited me to attend her Samanak party. At that time I didn’t have much interest in Afghan food so I declined. Instead I stayed in my guest house with my beer drinking, whiskey jugging travel mates. You can imagine how sorry I am for missing this wonderful opportunity.

03/19/2014

Nowroz is one of my favorite holidays. Every year we put out a Sofrah e Haft Seen.

Each of the items on the sofrah represent something about the New Year. They all begin with the Persian letter "seen," which is phonetic with s. For example, grass symbolizes rebirth and apple symbolizes health.

Haft Seen is not common in Kabul but in Herat, where I come from, many families lay it out. My daughters help put it together by painting eggs and collecting the grass. We have a goldfish we bought for the sofrah two years ago -- now it's very big, it has become our family pet. We make a big deal out of Nowroz with gifts of books and clothes. We don't celebrate Christmas, so we make up for that by getting gifts for the girls and our extended family.

I usually make a big breakfast for the family. We read Hafiz and Rumi, classic poetry books, to the kids. Usually, my daughters have the entire day to play and run around. We dress in new clothes and welcome the New Year with a special dinner with our extended family.

03/18/2014

In the United States most people are familiar with “Nouroz” which is considered to be an exclusively Persian holiday from Iran.The truth is, what was originally a Zoroastrian festival is now celebrated in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, the Indian Sub Continent and many other countries in the world.Although each country celebrates it a little differently, it always centers around a celebration of spring and the beginning of a new year. This year,March 2oth marks the start of year 1393, a date based on Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 BC.

People ask me about Afghan culture, customs and traditions all the time. I sometimes find it hard to answer such questions in a simple way.What makes it difficult to explain is that lot of our traditions and customs are influenced by religion, cultural traditions, provincial resources and of course each family’s traditions.So, I will tell you about Nowroz from my Afghan family’s perspective.

The first day of Nowroz or the Afghan calendar falls on the March equinox, the first day of spring.An equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator; day and night are of nearly equal length at all latitude.The March equinox generally occurs around March 21st, give or take a couple of days.Nowroz means new day in Dari, the language spoken in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan the planning for Nowroz starts two weeks before the actual date.There are many preparations that go into celebrating the New Year and you guessed it, food is the most important part of the festivities.Afghan refugees around the world organize Nowroz celebrations that allows their communicties to come together and celebrate. On Saturday I attended a Nowroz celebration organized by California State Univeristy, East Bay Afghan Students Association.

Humaira and friends in Afghan outfits

I have to admit, Nowroz was not a big holiday in my immediate family, but thanks to my extended family we got a great taste of it. Growing up Nowroz was always bittersweet because while I loved the food and the festivals, it also signaled the start of the school year. In Afghanistan children go to school from March to November, Saturday to Thursday. Next time your kids complain about school tell them Afghan children to go school six days a week. That should set them straight.

Afghan Nowroz Celebration 101:

There are many customs around Nowroz but here are the most common ones that I have experienced:

Haft Mewa:

My aunts’ preparation of a very special drink called Haft Mewa (seven fruits) was the highlight of Nowroz for me.Haft Mewa is essentially compote made from seven different dried fruits and nuts served in their own juices. Traditionally the seven ingredients are as follows: red raisins, black raisins, yellow raisins, senjid (the dried fruit of the oleaster tree), pistachio, dried apricot, and dried apple.The recipe for this dish is very flexible and now many people use walnuts, almonds and other dried fruit to makethis yummy dish.

Samanak:

This is a special sweet made from wheat germ which requires several weeks of perparation.The custom is for women to gather, essentially a “girls’ night in” and prepare the dish from late in the evening until daylight, singing special songs.I was in Afghanistan the Spring of 2006. My cousin invited me to attend her Samanak party. At that time I didn’t have much interest in Afghan food so I declined. Instead I stayed in my guest house with my beer drinking, whiskey jugging travel mates. You can imagine how sorry I am for missing this wonderful opportunity.

Mela e Gul e Surkh:

It means the Red Flower Festival referring to the red tulip.It’s mainly celebrated in Mazar i Sharif in Northern Afghanistan where many people travel to experience the gorgeous flowers.However, I do remember tulips at our house and around town during the Now Roze celebration in Kabul and even to this day when I see tulips I think of the holiday.

Buzkashi:

I have to say the Buzkashi tournament ranks pretty high on my list of memories, perhaps as high as the Haft Mewa.Buzkashi is the Afghan national sport, similar to polo but we use…. are you ready…. a dead stuffed goat instead of a “ball”.

Special Food:

People cook SabziChallaw (spinach and rice) on the eve of Now Roze to welcome spring and a prosperous crop. Also, bakeries make Kulcha e Now Rozie a special rice cookie very similar to our recipe for butter cookies but decorated with beautiful colors in honor of the holiday.People also make or buy Mahi (fried fish) and Jelabi (fried sugar dessert) mostly eaten at picnics.

Festivals and Picnics:

There are many festivals celebrating spring and the upcoming crop.People go on picnics to enjoy the greenery, flowers and time with family.Of course, kite flying, a national pastime in Afghanistan, is at the center of all these outings.

There is much more to say but I will stop now.I am thrilled not only to share about my country and this rich festival but to give you the recipe for Haft Mew, my favorite Nowroz specialty enjoyed mostly during this celebration.I don’t think Katie loved it as much as I do but I think you should give it a try.

I decided to make Haft Mewa with ingredients purchased from Trader Joe’s, I found everything but rosewater.Actually, the rosewater is my own addition to the traditional recipe so you don’t have to use it.This is not a traditional recipe but it is very delicious and don’t fret about the ingredients.This is a very flexible recipe, just use dried fruit and nuts that you have in your pantry.

Afghan New Year Dried Fruit Medley

Haft Mewa

3/4 cup walnuts

½ cup pistachios

½ cup yellow raisins

1 cup red raisins

½ cup dried bing cherries (not sour cherries)

1 cup dried apricots (look for sweet ones)

½ cup blanched, slivered almonds

½ tsp. rosewater (optional)

5 cups cold filtered water

Large (at least 5 pints) lidded container with a wide mouth

Begin by blanching the walnuts and pistachios.Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, remove from the heat, add the walnuts and pistachios, cover and let it sit for 20 minutes.In the meantime in a large bowl add both kinds of raisins, cherries and apricots. Rinse three times in cold water to remove any residue.

When the nuts are ready, pour the hot water out and add cold water.That way you won’t burn your hands.Peel the skin off the nuts using the best method you can muster up.I must admit, the pistachios were a dream but the walnuts take patience, which I don’t have.I found if you have a whole walnut, break it in half and then start peeling.It really makes it easier.Give yourself around 20 minutes for this; perhaps recruit family members to help.Make sure all the skin is removed from the pistachios and the walnuts, no exception.

Add the dried fruit and the nuts to the container along with the rosewater and 5 cups of cold water. Stir well.The water should be at lead 1 inch above the ingredients.Refrigerate for 2-4 days.The longer you leave it the sweeter it gets. It will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Serve in a bowl with its juices. I also think it would taste wonderful on vanilla or mango ice cream or plain yogurt.

03/17/2014

While Humaira's roots are firmly planted in Afghanistan, mine are in Ireland. The Irish landscape is lush and verdant, the country is surrounded by water, the people are fair skinned and friendly, and the pub is the centerpiece of Irish social life.

Afghanistan is an arid, landlocked country where community centers around the homefront and the very notion of a public watering hole is virtually non-existent. The two countries mutual devotion to brewing and serving endless cups of tea was the one commonality I could think of.

While in Ireland, little grabbed my interest on the culinary front, this hearty quick bread became a minor obsession. Toasted with plenty of Irish butter and blackberry jam, it was the perfect accompaniment to all that hot tea.

While it's hardly Afghan food, it pairs just right with some of Afghanistan's hearty, flavorful soups and stews.

Brown Soda Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1 3/4 cups self-rising flour

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

6 tbsp. ground flax meal (or wheat bran)

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift the first 6 ingredients into a big bowl. Add the butter to the bowl, pinching it between your fingers to incorporate it into the flour mixture until it is evenly distributed and is like a coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until just barely combined. Do not overmix it. Put the dough in buttered loaf pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (about 40 minutes).

03/13/2014

Rosewater

What is it?

A by product of making rose oil for perfumes, rose water has been used for centuries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, where it flavors drinks like hot milk or tea, desserts like Turkish delight, baklava, and rice pudding, and even adds a subtle complexity to savory foods. It lends its delicate, floral flavor. Because it is very potent, add it judiciously, by the eighth of a teaspoon, so that it doesn’t overpower other flavors.

How to choose:

You can find rose water at Middle Eastern or health-food stores. Since it’s also used for cosmetic purposes, look for a label that says 100% pure rose water, with no other additives to be sure you’re getting a food-grade product.

03/11/2014

I no longer have to send friends to Fremont for an authentic chapli kebab and bolani meal. De Afghanan Kebob House, which has been in Fremont's Little Kabul district for over 20 years, has opened it's doors in San Francisco's Tenderloin district.

The restaurant is run by two nephews of the original kebab master, Omar Aziz. They have created an extensive menu of mouth watering dishes and they are committed to staying in San Francisco's lucrative restaurant market where there is little competition for well priced, delicious, Afghan street food.

The restaurant is small with around 22 seats. I found the ambiance sterile, the art synthetic but the great food is what won me over.

I ordered the main staples of any good Afghan restaurant; bolani kachaloo, chicken kebab and Afghan ice cream. All three items along with the complimentary shor nakhod (Afghan spicy potato salad) were wonderful.

For a small restaurant and single wait person, the service was timely and efficient. I left very satisfied with a to go order of bolani in hand for next day's lunch.

De Afghanan has two locations in Fremont, one in Livermore and another in Berkeley.

03/06/2014

Shortly after my daugther Aria was born, fourteen years ago, I started a book club to create an incentive to read someting beside mind numbing picture books. The women I recruited were moms I met at a mommy-baby gathering. Every month we bundled up our bundles of joy, and met at someone's home to discuss the book.

Once the babies started crawling, and walking, we left them with Dad and met at restaurants for a coveted night of adult conversation and relaxed dining. Unfotunately five years ago the book club dissolved when driving carpools trumped reading.

Now, I live vicariously through friends who are still part of a book club or, women who write asking about Afghan dishes they can make for their discussion of Khaled Hosseini's books.

I love themed gatherings and nothing can be more fun than turning a book discussion into a cultural experience. So I decided to created a menu which will transport you into the world of Abdullah, Pari, Nila and all the wonderful characters in Khaled's most recent book, "And The Mountains Echoed."

When "And The Mountains Echoed" was first released, Khaled shared with readers of this blog his favorite foods.

Khaled's family is from Herat, a province in Western Afghanistan that has delicious regional dishes which I've yet to try: Qolor toroosh, Ishkana, Kichiri gosht landi, and Pati mash.

To this day Jeja, my mom, talks about the delicious foods Khaled's mom used to make when our families lived near each other in the Bay Area during the 80's. Jeja is not one to give fellow cooks undeserved recognition.

Although this menu does not have recipes from Herat, I have chosen traditonal dishes that are complementary, travel well and are perfect for pot lucks. I hope you will experience the wonders of Afghanistan through Khaled's beautiful words and my recipes.

02/27/2014

Yogurt is one of my obsessions. I eat it with everything. I love the tangy cool taste, which enhances every dish. Once I horrified my husband by dumping two large spoonfuls of plain yogurt into my bowl of ramen noodles.

Afghans add yogurt as a topping to many dishes such as kadoo, aushak, and aush. However, my family goes over the top, we add yogurt to everything. Recently I learned I am allergic to yogurt. This was a sad day for me. Apparently I am allergic to the protein in milk not be confused with lactose intolerance. This type of allergy can cause inflammation, body aches, mucus build-up and cold symptoms.

As part of my yogurt grieving, I went on a rampage of furious yogurt making. Since I couldn’t eat any of it, the yogurt was delivered throughout the city to my taste testers at children’s basketball games, carpool lines or by husband’s delivery service.

For years I have watched Jeja (my mom) make tangy creamy yogurt but I never mustered up the courage to make it myself. When I finally dove in, I found yogurt making very relaxing and rewarding. To transform a liquid into a semi-solid made me feel like a chemist or, better yet, a magician.

The right yogurt starter is the key to success. Unbelievably yogurt starter is just a few spoonfuls of yogurt. The yogurt kick starts the thickening of the milk proteins, adds tartness and acts as a preservative. Choose your favorite yogurt as the yogurt starter; your homemade yogurt will taste just like it. I use Saint Benoit Yogurt which is creamy, tart and to die for.

Heating the milk to the right temperature is important. The milk must first reach 185° and then it must cool to 110° before you add the yogurt starter. I used a digital thermometer to help track the temperature. I hung the thermometer on the side of the pot and kept an eye on it until it reached the right temperatures. In the recipe I provide some pointers to help you gauge the right temperature if you don’t have a thermometer.

This recipe calls for whole milk, which makes the yogurt very creamy but you may use 2% or 1% milk, which met my tester’s approval too.

Homemade Creamy and Tangy Yogurt

½ gallon whole organic milk

3 tablespoons good quality whole milk yogurt with live and active cultures

heavy bottom deep pan

two 2 pint size jars with tight fitting lids, disinfected and dry

Instand read thermometer (optional)

I think making yogurt overnight is the best way to do it. There's nothing like waking up to a fresh batch to have with your breakfast. Letting the milk rest in the oven (turned off, of course) is the ideal spot according to Jeja, who feels the cozy temperature of the oven is just right for turning milk into yogurt. Don't forget to set aside 3 tablespoons of your finished yogurt to use as a starter for your next batch before you gobble it all down.

Pour the milk into a deep, heavy bottom saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally, until the milk reaches 185°. You can test this using an instant read thermometer or gauge it by cooking the milk just until it is on the verge of boiling. Look for lots of tiny bubbles on the surface of the milk. This will take about 15 minutes depending on your pan and stove. Remove the milk from the heat and let is cool to 110°. This will take about an hour.

While the milk cools down, put the starter yogurt into a medium bowl and stir with a fork until creamy. Once the milk has cooled to 110°, pour into the bowl and stir for 2 minutes to make sure the yogurt and milk are mixed well.

Pour the milk into the jars and close the lids tightly. Place the jars on baking tray right next to each other so they can keep each other warm, cover with several dishcloths to make them cozy. Place them in a warm place, such as near the stove, for 9-12 hours to rest.

Serving size: Half a gallon of milk make ½ gallon of yogurt

My thermometer was really handy with reaching the right temprature

If you don't have a thermometer look for the bubblesl which is a great indicator of reaching the right temprature.

02/20/2014

During my two week visit to Afghanistan in 2011 I found myself obsessed with the bakeries of Kabul. As my bullet-proof US Embassy car zoomed through the streets, I'd find myself drooling at the sight of the beautifully arranged pastries in the bakery shops.

Due to threat of riots and security issues I mostly travelled in convoys or stayed in my hotel. I didn’t get to do any shopping or wander the markets as I had hoped. But, in my last hours in Kabul, I asked my cousin to take me to a bakery and the street with butchers. I had a chance to pop into a nice bakery, take some photos, chit chat with the owner and admire the beautifully displayed items.

Afghan cream rolls

I think it is worth noting that Afghans don’t usually eat dessert, unless it is a special occasion and in that case it is not usually baked items. Pastries are served as a snack with tea in the mid afternoon, at celebrations such as Eid or to a special guest. Flour, sugar and oil are expensive. Afghanistan being the second poorest country in the world, doesn’t allow for such luxuries to the majority of its population.

Various types of candies stacked in the corner of the bakery, I likes the color coordination

Roht is an Afghan sweet bread which is traditionally made with wheat flour. Here you'll find my post featuring a classic roht recipe. However, since many folks in my family are going gluten free, my sister Nabila came up with this recipe for roht which uses corn flour instead of wheat flour. I have to say, I find the corn roht much tastier than the traditional flour roht. I do encourage you to use finely ground corn meal; otherwise your roht will turn out coarse and crunchy.

Nabila's corn roht

Roht e Jowaree

Gluten Free Afghan Sweet Bread

1 cup corn meal

1 cup finely ground corn flour

1/4 cup butter at room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon nigella seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Fit your food processor with the dough blade. Put all dry ingredients in the food processor, pulse a few times until all ingredients are mixed well.

Add butter and pulse several times until mixed well. Scrape the sides of the food processor, add the eggs, and mix until the dough is formed. If your dough is dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to add some more moisture. You may not need the milk at all. You might have to stop periodically to scrape the dough off the sides. After a few minutes, the dough will come together in one smooth lump and move around the food processor.

Remove the dough from the food processor and pat it into a smooth ball. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two balls and work gently into a circular flat shape, about ½- inch thick. Poke little holes in a circular pattern on top of the dough with a fork, about 20 pokes per loaf. Sprinkle the loaves with nigella seeds. You can also divide the dough into 12 small balls and make approximately 4 inch round mini rohts.

Bake in the middle rack for 25-30 minutes until the corn roht is golden brown. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.

Cut into 6 wedges. Enjoy with a cup of tea.

Store roht in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. I find it tastes even better the next day.

*Nigella seeds are commonly used in Indian or Middle Eastern dishes. They are tiny black roasted seeds that taste likbitterness with a bitterness like mustard-seeds. They are sold at Middle Eastern or Indian markets. Check out the list of markets that we have compiled for you. If you can’t find them, use sesame seeds instead.

02/12/2014

I don’t have a sweet tooth. My go to snacks are dates, mulberries, almonds and walnuts. However, there are a few things I can’t resist; pistachio ice cream, our Afghan butter cookies and Sheer payra, Afghanistan’s fudge.

Recently a friend asked about Sheerpayra, so I cast a wide net for possible recipes. My friend Helen Saberi kindly referred me to her recipe in Afghan Food & Cookery*. My sister Nabila shared her wisdom and lessons learned from previous attempts to make this mouth watering delight.

It turns out making Sheerpayra requires a great deal of precision and patience, the two qualities I lack. So, I created my own fast and easy recipe which, turns out a killer tasting Sheer payra. Since milk and sugar are at a premium in Afghanistan, this sweet is served at Eid holidays, weddings, baby births and of course for very special guests.

Perhaps this valentine, you can skip the chocolate and give your sweetheart a box of our "Afghan Rosewater, Cardamom Fudge".

Time is of essence in this recipe. For best resutls, have all your ingredients measured and accessible in your work area before you go to the next step.

Add the water in a heavy bottomed sauce-pan, cook the sugar and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts, around 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, bring to a boil, stir constantly for 2 minutes, a white foam will form on the syrup and it will thicken.

Remove pot from heat and move to your work area. Drizzle the powdered milk in the pot, as you stir, a creamy smooth mixture will form. Add rosewater, cardamom, almonds and walnuts. Mix well, making sure the nuts are distributed evenly in the batter.

Pour the mixture into the pan, scraping all the extras from the sides of the pan. It should spread out but if it doesn’t, use the back of a spatula to flatten it evenly. Sprinkle with pistachios and set to cool, approximately 1-2 hours.

Cut with a sharp knife in 2x2 inch squares, serve with a cup of black tea or coffee. Store the extra in in an air tight container or ziploc bag. Do not refridgerate, keep at room temprature.

Deborah Rodriguez, author of The New York Times bestselling memoir Kabul Beauty School, makes her compelling fiction debut in this novel of a remarkable coffee shop in the heart of Afghanistan and the women who meet there - each with a story and a secret that will lead them to forge an extraordinary friendship.

The publishers have a "How to host the perfect tea party" section where our recipes are cleverly placed to encourage a tea time gathering. If you have read this book and used our recipes, let us know how it turned out.

Thinking back to the past few years, I am happy to report our recipes have been featured in many publications and blogs including Food52, San Francisco Chronicle, Foreign Policy, veggiebelly.com, ingredientmatcher.com and the soon to be published YOGURT CULTURE cookbook.

01/23/2014

I made these Almond and Cardamom Meringue Cookies and could barely get them onto the baking sheet because of all the finger licking that was going on. If I come down with a ferocious case of salmonella, you’ll know why. All that sweet meringue, spiced with cardamom, and accented with the texture and flavor of ground almonds made a delicious batter, and an even better finished cookie. But then, I’m a sucker for anything meringue.

These cookies couldn’t be easier to make. Essentially, you whip egg whites with powdered sugar and then fold in ground almonds. You can buy almond meal, which is finely ground, blanched almonds, or make your own, which is what I did when I discovered I didn’t have any on hand. Just be sure not to grind it so much that you end up with almond butter.

The recipe comes from a new cookbook called “Afghan Desserts Made Simple” (Dog Ear Publishing, 2010). It’s the only Afghan dessert cookbook we know of, probably for good reason. There frankly aren’t a whole lot of Afghan desserts to write about. Afghans most often turn to dried and fresh fruits to satisfy their sweet tooth. Prepared desserts are reserved for special occasions. Truth be told, this recipe isn't authentically Afghan. It's inspired by an Afghan almond cookie But, using this many egg whites and this many ground almonds would be prohibitively decadent in Afghanistan.

The book is written by Sina Abed, a woman who, like so many in Afghanistan, fled her home in Kabul and came to the United States with her family. Like our blog, her book is a way to keep a record of the precious recipes that are preserved in the memories of the women who left Afghanistan over the past several decades. This particular cookie is well worth preserving in your own repertoire of recipes.

Almond and Cardamom Meringue Cookies

Kuche Badami

2 ½ cups almond meal *

¾ cup all-purpose white flour

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

4 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups powdered sugar

Whole or slivered almonds for garnish

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the almond meal, flour, and cardamom. Stir well.

In a large, immaculately clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric beater until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the almond meal into the egg whites, mixing until you have a smooth, even consistency.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons or so) of the batter onto mounds on the baking sheet. Top each mound with one whole almond or two slivered almonds.

Bake until the cookies just begin to brown around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Less cooking time will result in a chewier cookie.

*You can make your own almond meal by grinding blanched almonds in a blender. Grind the almonds enough so they form a fine meal, but not so much that it begins to stick together and resemble almond butter.

01/16/2014

An Afghan’s perspective …

Your comments are encouraged !

by Humaira

There has been much debate about the accuracy of Lone Survivor, a movie based on a riveting story chronicling Operation Red Wings, where four highly trained Navy SEALs are sent on a mission to kill a dangerous “Al Qaeda” leader in a remote mountain village of Afghanistan, but they are discovered and overrun by enemy fighters.

Despite valiant fighting, three of the SEALs are killed. However, the fourth, Marcus Lattrell, is given a second chance in life by an Afghan village leader who risks his own life, his family’s life and perhaps his village’s future security to give this stranger refuge from his enemies.

This movie misses the mark by brushing over what makes this story different than other war stories: the time Marcus Luttrell spends holed-up in this remote village. In the movie, Mark Wahlberg asks over and over “Why are you helping me?” A great question that Peter Berg (the director) fails to answer. Not all Afghans are uncivilized, gun toting, American haters.

You see, Mohammad Gulab, follows the ancient Pashtun code of honor called, Pashtunwali. The main principals of Pashtunwali are hospitality, protection for all guests, justice against wrong doers, bravery, loyalty to family, righteousness, belief in Allah, courage, and protection of women. This unwritten code of conduct among traditional Pashtun tribes serves as a system of law and governance in parts of Afghanistan.

In his book, Marcus Luttrell details his memorable stay in the Afghan village. In the movie, he spends less than 2 rushed days in the village!

Marcus Luttrell explains that Gulab's duty as a Pashtun is to protect him against his enemies and get him to safety. Even though the insurgent fighters are enraged, in the real story they never attack Gulab's village nor do they try to kill Gulab while he is fulfilling his duty as a Pashtun. The villagers who live in the remotest part of Afghanistan live by a code not dissimilar to the SEAL’s code of honor. Unlike the movie, the book highlights how the villagers and the Talibs work with in this system to resolve the dispute over the American.

Battle scene

The movie opens with brutal SEAL training scenes that help forge a strong bond among the SEALs. What follows is forty minutes of non-stop battle where the SEALs are attacked by hundreds of fierce looking Afghan men senselessly popping out from behind trees and bushes into the SEAL's bullets.

After tumbling off rock cliffs, the SEALs dust themselves off with quick witty exchanges. The fight scenes resemble video games where the bad guy’s pink blood splatters across the screen as he flies into his death. In this case the bad guys are Afghan fighters dressed in nicely starched, colorful outfits with comically large turbans.

When I read the book, I was really moved by the story. It showcases the humanity of ordinary Afghans normally overshadowed by unceasing stories of violence. So, when I discovered the book was being made into a movie, I contacted the studio to get involved as a cultural advisor for the production. I’ve done this type of work with previous productions. They didn't enlist my assistance. Still, I hoped the movie would capture the strength of ordinary Afghans but in the end, I'm irritated that this movie tells half of the story.

Marcus Luttrell and Gulab have stayed good friends

Although the movie is billed for showcasing American heroism, I think it should have also given Afghan heroism due respect .

I dedicate this post to the memory of NATO forces, the brave men of Operation Red Wings and all Afghans who have perished in the past 34 years of war in Afghanistan. May they all rest in peace.

12/30/2013

Our holiday season was made even more special by a visit from my cousin Ghani, who is on his first trip to the United States. It was really fun to show him around, and see my world from his perspective. He had many insightful questions such as:

- What is the difference between McDonalds and In-N-Out Burger?

- Why did educated, democratically elected American politicians shut their government down?

- What is the difference between a street, court, boulevard and avenue?

Some questions were easy to answer and other not so much.

We took him to many restaurants, he was game to try new things but felt most foods were too dry and needed more oil.

He shared recipes for a variety of his favorite Afghan dishes which I hope to share with in 2014. In Afghan hospitality the guest is never allowed to enter the kitchen but we finally relented and allowed him to make his favorite juice for the family --- an instant hit.

I find that most people stay away from whole pomegranates since they are difficult to seed. In this recipe I have a quick and easy technique to seed pomegranate in less than one minute.

I hope you start your new year with a glass of Ghani's wonderfully refreshing and healthy juice.

Ghani's Quince, Pomegranate and Apple Juice

1 large pomegranate seeded

1 quince cored and cut in slices

3 red apples cored and cut in slices

1/2 cup water

Roll whole pomegranate on a hard surface or kitchen counter while putting pressure with both hands. This loosens the seeds. Cut the pomegranate in half, hold the open side down in the palm of your hand over a deep bowl to avoid the splatter of the juice. Take a heavy spoon or a wooden spatula and hit the back of the pomegranate 3-4 times. Most of the seeds will fall out after a couple of whacks.

Pick out the rest of the seeds by hand and remove any skin before juicing. Put the fruit through your juicer, pouring a little water in between each fruit to clear out the juicer.

12/23/2013

I think back to 1998 when my husband Jim and I hosted our first Christmas holiday get together. We had been married for two years at the time, were living in a tiny apartment, and I worked a busy jobs which left no time to cook. Although I had spent a couple of holidays with Jim’s family, I had never played hostess

Looking back, Christmas dinner was a little over my head. Come to think of it, there were several things wrong with this plan:

1. I didn’t celebrate Christmas growing up, and frankly, knew very little about the holiday. Even though I came to the United States from Afghanistan at the age of 11, I didn’t know much about the American traditions of Christmas. My family took advantage of the Christmas sales and the days off work, but we didn’t do anything special around the holiday. Once in a while, my Dad would show up with gift, but that was at random and no one reciprocated.

2. I did not know how to cook.

3. I had no idea what one traditionally serves on Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day, and Jim wasn’t much help in enlightening me.

Since our apartment was small the tree was sufficient decoration. Thanks to our landlord we had a wreath on the door. I worried about what to feed everyone. Afghans host by plying their guests with many meals, tea, snacks, and more tea, never letting anyone lift a finger. Considering I didn’t know how to cook, figuring out what we were going to eat was a challenge. I made up for this shortcoming by being a resourceful planner, which usually serves me well. But sometimes I plan too quickly and miss important details.

My game day plan was to serve fresh bagels, lox and cream cheese from Noah’s down the street on Christmas morning. For dinner, I called Mollie Stones, an upscale grocery store, and ordered the full line-up: “homemade” turkey, stuffing, potatoes, rolls, vegetable and dessert. It all sounded great and all I had to do was heat and serve.

As Christmas approached, I made many calls to my mom, Jeja, for advice. She was worried that I do a good job hosting my in-laws and supported my plan to order in dinner since she had no faith in my cooking ability. She even offered to cook an Afghan dinner one night and send it over from Fremont to San Francisco. I declined since I was not sure if Jim’s family would like Afghan food. I still don’t know if they like Afghan food.

On Christmas morning I woke up before everyone else, got dressed and walked to Noah’s bagels on Fillmore Street. It was a crisp San Francisco day. I noted how deserted the streets looked. “Maybe it’s still too early for people to be up,” I cautiously wondered. “Maybe people are sleeping in today." As I turned onto Fillmore Street it quickly sunk in that every shop on the street was closed, including Noah’s bagels. Not a single soul was in sight on this normally bustling street.

To my horror I realized that EVERYTHING is closed on Christmas. Not just Noah’s, but Mollie Stone’s too. After a cheerful greeting from a homeless person who seemed very happy to see me, I ran home and shook Jim to a quick state of wakefulness. “Did you know everything is closed on Christmas day?” I asked. “Yes, everyone knows that,” he said. Everyone, apparently, except Jeja and me.

Thank goodness I had enough bread, jam and cereal to offer for breakfast that day. Nobody seemed to care about the missing bagels, but I couldn’t work up the nerve to tell them about our missing dinner.

I called Jeja. She was panicked. “How could this be,” she said. “No food for guests? How horrible.” I could hear my Dad, siblings and even my young nephew Abe jabbering in the background, offering ideas, suggestions, and “tisk tisking” this bad fortune, shaking their heads all the while, I’m sure.

At noon my brother Waheed called with Plan B. He said Jeja had intended to roast a couple of chickens for their dinner that night. Instead, she’d send them over for our Christmas meal. At 5:30 Waheed showed up at my doorstep with a car full of food, still warm. Jim’s family was amazed that my family gave up their meal so we could have a special Christmas dinner, and that Waheed had driven an hour to deliver it to us. They couldn’t comprehend the importance my Afghan family placed on making sure my guests would get the royal treatment. In my country, not doing so would be considered shameful -- to our province, to our clan, to our qala (the family compound) and to our family.

I will forever be grateful to my mom for cooking, to Waheed for delivering the food, and to the rest of the family for their belief that it takes a village to host well. I am also grateful to Jim’s family for happily accepting what came to them without judgment or resistance.

I have since learned to cook, entertain and plan better. In honor of this rescue I share our Roasted Chicken with Afghan Spice Rub recipe.

Happy holidays to all of you!!!

Roast Chicken with Afghan Spice Rub

1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. ground paprika

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. Kosher salt

1 lemon, cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Set the chicken in a roasting pan, preferably on a roasting rack. In a small bowl stir together the 4 spices, the garlic powder and the salt. Squeeze both halves of the lemon over the chicken and then stuff into the cavity of the bird. Gently pat the spice rub evenly over the entire chicken. Roast the chicken until done, 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the bird.

12/18/2013

Eva standing with a young student in the Mobile Mini Children's Circus in Kabul

The Patience Stone is a mythical stone believed to have special powers. The owner of the stone can tell all her stories, sorrows, and secrets for safe keeping. Finally, one day when the stone has heard enough, and it can no longer take another secret, it explodes into tiny pieces, releasing all it has accumulated into the universe.

Make my day!

Leave a comment at the

end of this post.

Guest Blogger: Eva Vander Giessen

I felt honored just to be talking with her. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a crowd around us in the Kabul restaurant where we were sitting – why weren’t people hanging onto her words, moved like I was with respect and gratitude for her matter of fact courage?

She is an educator, a mother, a wife. When the Taliban took over, she started a secret school with kids packed into her house. She fought for girls’ education and she even became the Minister of Education in one of Afghanistan’s most conservative provinces, Ghazni, home to ancient minarets, dusty roads, and a resilience that defies reason.

Why should you care about Fatema, whose story you might forget five minutes after reading? I believe there is something precious that has been lost to us, which Fatema and other Afghans can help us find: patience.

Let me just say, I am not a patient person. When Google maps takes too long to load on my phone I get irritated. But my two visits to Afghanistan have made me passionate about a quality that we in the West usually reserve for 85-year olds and people who like to watch paint dry. Here’s why I am a student of patience.

Widespread change takes time. Ask Nelson Mandela or Susan B. Anthony. This seems obvious, but as Americans we undervalue subtle, steady progress. We also have forgotten that democracy is a system that evolves out of its people, not a one-size-fits-all formula.

I’ve never met young people so passionate in the face of adversity. I met Afghan girls who walk two hours in deep snow to attend classes at AFN Khurasan Learning Centers because they see education as a privilege. One of our University Scholarship recipients graduated high school in his 20s, persevering despite numerous interruptions so he could get into medical school as he dreamt.

The AFN scholarship students I met want to “help other girls achieve their wishes,” or “help my people get better treatment,” or “teach children of Afghanistan to build a better country” --- their aspirations are based on large scale, multi-generational hopes, and this is common among many young Afghans I met.

Patience is essential to courage. Fatema would be safer if she stopped working. People like her get “night letters” nailed on their doors by the Taliban, marking them as targets if they continue behavior deemed “un-Islamic”.

She has to disguise herself with several changes of clothes as she goes about one day’s work. But none of this stops her. She gets up at 5am every day and goes to the Khurasan Learning Centers because she, like our schoolchildren’s parents, know Afghanistan can only be as strong as its people are educated. Her long-term perspective gives her patience and fuels her courage for the long haul.

Lastly, patience helps bring laughter. You might be surprised to hear this, but I spent a good chunk of my time with Afghan friends and colleagues laughing. We laughed about extremist mullahs, we laughed about the uncertainty around what will happen after 2014, we laughed about the prejudice rampant between sexes, ethnicities, and families. Humor helps us deal with the painstakingly slow pace of change.

Kabul sunrise courtesy of Frank Petrella

My trip to Afghanistan in October 2013 was sobering. Violence in Ghazni has shot up. Unemployment is estimated at 40% and the gap between young and old is causing tensions. But I take my cue from Afghans themselves when they say, “We have patience, it will take time to rebuild and reinvent.”

I must say their patience has paid off. Progress is apparent everywhere. Access to electricity has tripled, the number of children in school went from 1 million to over 7 million in just seven years. Life expectancy is up due to better health care, and media has blossomed from one TV station to 75, plus 175 radio stations.

I am not optimistic enough to believe that Afghans have an easy road ahead. I worry about Fatema, about our students, about the uncertainty of it all. But I am learning how patience plays a role in lasting change, and how rare and important patience is for all of us.

What would our relationships, political and personal look like if we had patience to see big changes through? If we checked our urge to fix, and instead invested in the people who could “fix” themselves?

12/12/2013

This year, let's make giving gifts simple by sharing unique and homemade treats for the holidays. It's fun to set aside an afternoon to package a few homemade goodies for friends and colleagues.

Growing up my family didn't celebrate Christmas, but I do enjoy the spirit of giving in the holiday season. My gifts reflect tastes from my culture: nuts, rosewater, cardamom and fragrant spices. And I always enjoy taste-testing while making them.

With all these amazing foods around me, I adhere to this Afghan proverb:

"Kam bukhor, hamesha bukhor" Eat little, eat often

While testing today's recipe though, I consumed too much of this scrumptiously delicious Date Log. My sister Nabila created the original recipe, but I've tweaked it to my taste.

As you may notice in the photos, I tested the recipe with various types of nuts and techniques to create the right crunch and combination of flavors. I add a drizzle of rosewater to each pieces before serving. The combination of the tang from lemon juice and the delicate fragrance of rosewater creates a beautiful symphony for the pallete.

This dish also transforms into an unexpected appetizer! Just spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the dates before adding the nuts and then follow the recipe. No rosewater needed.

Lay a long strip of platic food wrap on the kitchen counter. Arrange three dates flattened, side by side. Make sure they are overlapping. Repeat so you have a 3x3 square arrangement of dates. Save half the dates for later.

Sprinkle the almonds and walnuts on the bed of dates. Pour the lemon juice evenly and then sprinkle the cardamom before arranging the remaining nice dates on top.

Place a another piece of plastic food wrap on top of the date sandwich, make sure the plastic extends by 4 inches on over the lenght of the dates. Firmly press on the stack with the palms of your hands. Use the rolling pin to flatten the mixture into a think layer.

Remove the top plastic and gently roll into a log making sure that you press all the pieces together tightly.

Take the date log and roll onto the extra nut which you set aside, making sure all sides are covered with the ground nuts. Wrap in the plastic wrap and refridgerate for an hour or longer. When the log is firm, cut in bite size pieces.

*If you buy nuts, toast them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes before doing the recipe

Khasta e Shereen

Afghan Cardamom Almond Brittle

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

1 lb. unsalted roasted almonds*

1 1/2 teasspoon ground cardamom

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the almonds in a single layer on the baking sheet, grouping them all together with no spaces between the nuts.

Heat the sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly. The sugar will eventually turn to liquid. Continue to cook, stirring all the while, until the sugar is golden brown. Add the cardamom and cook a little longer until it reaches a deep amber color and smooth texture. The whole process of caramelizing the sugar will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle the sugar in a thin stream evenly over the top of the almonds, covering them all. Cool completely. Break up the almonds with your fingers into two-bite pieces. Store in a jar with a tight lid or package for gifts.

*If you buy raw almonds, toast them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes before doing the recipe

Toasted Turmeric Cashews

Humaira's Khast e Shor

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. ground turmeric

1 1/2 tbsp. Kosher salt (adjust to your taste)

1 pound unsalted, dry-roasted cashews

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, turmeric and salt; quickly stir to make a paste. Immediately add the cashews and stir-fry for 1 minute, turning the cashews in the pan to coat with the spices but don’t burn them. Pour into a colander. Shake the colander for 1 minute to eliminate extra spices; you may need to brush off extra coating of turmeric. Let cool and store in a jar with a tight lid.

12/05/2013

I grew up with my father spouting Afghan proverbs at every turn of a conversation or teaching moment. His favorite one for me, a tomboy, who came home with scraped knees from playing soccer or riding my bike was ----

“I have seen a girl play with dolls but not with bow and arrow like a champion prince.”

I find that Afghan proverbs are getting diluted with DarEnglish spoken by young Afghans in the United States. Sometimes in my writings I struggle with a specific thought, which I can express seamlessly with a Dari proverb but not in English.

Yes, a U.S. Navy Captain wrote the Dari Proverbs book, now available in 35 countries and translated in eight languages. A Pashto version is coming soon. During his time in Afghanistan, Captain Zellem collected and translated these proverbs in cooperation with Afghan friends and colleagues. Here is a favorite food related proverb from the book:

“We didn’t eat the aush, but were blinded by the smoke.”

Meaning, we did all the work but received none of the benefits. I can’t say that about Captain Zellem’s book. He has done the work resulting in a wonderful book that every Afghan under the age of 45 should have a copy.

What I love about the book is that the proverbs are in Dari, followed by transliteration in English so anyone can pronounce it. Then, he goes on to give the literal translation and finally the deep meaning or root of each proverb.

I call on young Afghans to get a copy of this book. Your mothers will be dazzled to hear you use speak with proverbs. I have my book marked up with favorite proverbs and every time I talk to Jeja, my mom, I throw out a new saying. It delights her to hear how much my Dari has improved.

You can learn about Captain Zellem's book on his website Afghan Sayings.

Young Afghan artists who illustrated "151 Afghan Proverbs"book

Humaira: Tell me a little bit about your overall impression of Afghanistan and its people.

Capt. Zellem: I spent far more time with Afghans than I did with foreigners during my year and a half in Afghanistan. As a Dari speaker I got to know Afghans pretty well during that time.

My overall impression is that Afghans and Americans have a lot more in common with each other at the personal level than most people think. Like most Americans, most Afghans greatly value basic human qualities like hospitality, trust, humor, good conversation, family, friends, courage, and freedom. Those are only a few; there are many more qualities that we share. Enjoyment of good food is another one, and I know you can appreciate that with the many great Afghan recipes that you share.

There are many religious, cultural and other differences between Afghans and Americans. And of course, there are tremendous differences in life experiences.

All Afghans have been affected greatly by three decades of war, and most Americans have not. But despite these differences, I found the similarities at the person-to-person level to be remarkable. I’ve lived and traveled a lot of places around the world for thirty years, and I’ve known people of many different nationalities. So I think I can say this with some authority.

When peace and security come to Afghanistan one day, I think many others will discover the same thing I did. The common human thoughts and feelings found in Afghan Proverbs can show us these commonalities too. My books of Afghan proverbs are also a completely personal hobby and a project to support Afghan literacy and charity

Humaira: I understand once you were in Afghanistan and working with Afghans you noticed their usage of the proverbs. Do you think programs should teach such intricacies of language, or the discovery of such knowledge should come from interaction with the native speakers?

Captain Zellem promoting literaryc and dressed Afghan-style

Capt. Zellem: I think if you learn a baseline of proverbs and sayings in language school, the discovery of more can come naturally once you start working in that language.

The key is being a good listener and open to interacting with other cultures and people. When learning another language it’s certainly important to learn how to ask things like where the bathroom is, or how much something costs. But it’s also important to gain cultural competency in a language by trying to talk the way regular people and native speakers do. It’s also a lot of fun and it builds conversations and friendships fast.

Once I got to Afghanistan and started using Dari every day, I noticed proverbs being used all the time. So I started using these Afghan proverbs myself. I immediately found them to be useful and fun, great shorthand for very complicated thoughts, and a great way to understand Afghans better. Learning Afghan Proverbs also helped me learn more Dari vocabulary.

So for all these reasons I started writing down the proverbs when I heard them used. One thing led to another, and a personal learning tool became a hobby, then a passion.

Humaira: Since I write about Afghan food and culture, I have to ask you about your favorite Afghan dishes. Are you a cook and have you attempted making Afghan food?

Capt. Zellem: I love Afghan food, it’s some of the best in the world! I especially enjoy qabili palau, boulanee with either potatoes or leeks. Mantoo, eggplant cooked Afghan style, and of course kebabs of all kinds.

I especially like kebab-e chopan. And there is no better bread in the world than fresh naan!

“Neem-e naan, raahat-e jaan.” نیم نان، راحت جان

My wife does most of the cooking in our house – she is a lot better at it than I am. But, I do insist on cooking Afghan food, it always brings back good memories of Afghanistan. Nothing can beat Afghan food cooked by an Afghan, but I try and it is usually pretty good.

Your recipes help a lot!

I’ve used your holiday recipes for haft mewa and Afghan cookies several times with great success. People love them both, and we now serve them to our families and guests during the holidays. One day I’ll be bold and try to make my own mantoo! It is probably easier than it looks, I need to be brave and just do it.

Humaira: Are you still in contact with the Marefat School High School students who did the illustrations for your book? How do they feel about the upcoming withdrawal of the U.S. army and NATO force?

Captain Zellem in Marefat School

Capt. Zellem: I am still in regular contact with Marefat High School, because the students there are illustrating my next book of 151 Pashto Proverbs. In fact, the faculty is using the Pashto book project as part of the art curriculum at Marefat this semester, and the students are learning a lot from our work together.

The paintings I have seen so far are absolutely beautiful, I know people around the world will be inspired by them.

Everyone in Afghanistan and the world is concerned about what will happen after 2014. But Afghan youth like the students at Marefat are the hope for a brighter future. The world needs to support Afghan youth, Afghan literacy, and Afghan education to help bring peace and security. As the Afghan Proverb says,

These are two very famous Zarbul Masalha, which have great meaning for Afghanistan after 2014.

* Please note that Captain Zellem is an active duty U.S. Navy officer, anything he say here is his personal opinion and does not represent the position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Navy.

11/25/2013

The older I get the more I like my own food. At pot-lucks, I grab a nice plateful of my dish before others get to it. At restaurants I order food with similar spices and flavors. I recently accepted the dark reality that I have become my mother --- when it comes to food.

The first time I had Mujaddara, it was love at first bite. It tasted very similar to my favorite Afghan dish Shohla but not as filling. I recently sought a recipe for this dish popular in Arab countries and settled on a recipe from the Food Network since I had the ingredients in my pantry. To my children's annoyance, I have made this dish every week in the past month to perfect the recipe to my taste, my waist line and to my kid's palette.

It occured to me that most of us struggle with new and innovative Thanksgiving side dishes. If you want to jazz up your Thanksgiving meal, perhaps you might want to consider Mujaddara or some of following Afghan dishes:

Mujaddara means pock-marked in Arabic, referring to the the black or green lentils mixed in with rice, onions, coriander and cumin. I have to admit, I did make the dish with Trader Joe's steamed lentils which turned out fabulous and it cut the cooking time in half. However, in this recipe I use dry green lentils so those who are not near a TJ's can still make the dish.

May the cooking fairies make your Thanksgiving day a fabulous one. This year I give thanks for my family, for my health and for my community (that includes all of you). I also remember my father Ghulam Farouq Ghilzai, who celebrated Thanksgiving with great enthusiasm every year since it was his favorite American holiday. He always reminded us to be thankful for living in this fabulous country, the United States.

Humaira's Mujaddara

An Arabic Rice and Lentil Dish

1 cup small green lentils

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. cumin seeds

3 red onion thinly sliced

1 cup short grain or calrose rice rinsed

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or skip if you have kids

1 tbsp. salt (adjust to your taste)

1 tsp. ground black pepper

3 cups water

In a pan, add lentils and cold water. On high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook until lentils are soft, around 15-20 minutes. Don't over cook the lentils since they will simmer with the rice.

While the lentils are cooking, place a deep frying pan on high heat and add olive oil. After a minute, add cumin seeds and stir until the seeds turn slightly brown and fragrant, around 2 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and reduce heat to medium high. Stir frequently, cook the onions until slightly brown and crispy, around 15 minutes. Scoop out a quarter of the caramlized onions onto a plate to use as granish later.

Add the rice to the pan, stir consistently so it doesn't stick to the pan or break. Once the rice is translucent, around 3-4 minutes, add the cooked lentils, the spices, salt, pepper and the water to the pan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, place a lid on the pan, let the ingredients simmer until the rice is cooked through and all the liquid is absorbed, 20-30 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, let is sit for an additional five minutes before serving.

Serve the dish on a bed of lettuce, topped with the carmalized onions, a wedge of lemon or a dollup of plain yogurt.

11/14/2013

If I was on the fence about the slow cooker, this particular dish here has tipped the scales.When the slow cooker had finished doing its magic, I found myself hovered over the pot, fork in hand, double dipping, tongue burning, and hoping nobody would stumble into the kitchen.It was crock pot crack.

The dish is called mashawa.Humaira deemed it Afghan chili when she posted the original recipea few months ago.It has the consistency of chili and boasts three different legumes.It’s crowned with a scoop of yogurt just as you might finish a Southwestern chili with sour cream.The flavor however, is distinctly Afghan, not remotely Tex Mex:coriander and dill in lieu of chili powder and cumin.And while it’s loaded with flavor, it lacks the heat of a traditional chili.If you like spicy, boost the amount of red chili flakes in the recipe.

I’m keeping this posting short.I need time to figure out which crock pot I’m going to buy.

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Season the meat with a healthy pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper and add to the onions/garlic.Cook for 10-12 minutes until nicely browned.

While the meat is browning, combine the chicken broth, tomato paste, coriander, chili flakes, mung beans, ½ tsp. of the salt and the black pepper to the crock pot.Stir well.Add the browned meat/onions to the pan and stir again.Turn the crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours.After 6 hours, add the kidney beans, chickpeas and dill.Continue to cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.If the meat is not tender enough, let it go another 30 minutes.

When you are ready to eat, stir together the yogurt, dried garlic and remaining half teaspoon of salt.

In a small bowl mix together the yogurt, garlic and remaining ½ tsp of salt.

Serve in bowls with a dollop of yogurt and a piece of nan or flat bread.